Holy Knot Tying!
by SchmetterlingMaus
Summary: FINISHED. Beast Boy isn't quick to come to terms with his omega status in an alpha dominated superhero world. Mention of other superheroes from the DC Universe. Alpha/Omega dynamics
1. Chapter 1

DC Universe owns all rights to Teen Titans.

oOo

The small storage room was cold. Beyond the racks of extra restaurant supplies that kept the closet crowded, was the large meat locker directly opposite the door into the restaurant. Fried Chinese veggie rolls perforated through air. The sound of the cooks scrapping and banging pots was barely muffled through the closed door.

Garfield Logan placed another card down on the table. They were playing with pennies, keeping the mood light with root beer and chips. He'd met Price online and though the friendship wasn't an immediate thing, the more they talked, the more he found he had something in common with another person outside the day to day heroic bond he had with his team. He liked having someone to talk to who didn't know his history, or even his alternate identity.

Price studied him for a moment before putting his cards face up on the table, spread out. "I'm out."

There was a surge of happiness in winning a round, though there wasn't more than twenty cents in the middle of the table, mostly pennies and a nickel. Price had been teaching him to play poker for the better part of a month now. His friend was three years older and just starting university. The older boy dressed like a hipster, shaggy face and hair. His black hair was down to his chin, somewhat stringy. Despite his looks, he was clean.

Price caught him staring as he shuffled the cards and threw him a sideways smile. "Are you worried since you haven't presented yet?"

"Dude, totally not a concern," and it wasn't.

Everyone in both Teen Titan Towers was alphas. The entire Justice League was alphas. Every superhero was an alpha. So he hadn't presented yet. Omegas were nearly obsolete. There just weren't very many, and though there were rumors that a lot of omegas fled to some mystically hidden island, there really just weren't more than a handful of omegas born a year. Betas, on the other hand, were plenty, and they weren't superheroes…. The villains weren't betas. It took an alpha to fight an alpha and he's fought a lot. He could carry his own weight in battle. He was _totally_ alpha.

Price raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to make a friendly wager on that?"

Garfield shifted uncomfortably. His skills at 'gambling' were getting better, but he wasn't sure this was what one would call a _friendly_ wager. Not that he doubted he was an alpha… the doubt wasn't there at all… okay, maybe a fraction of a doubt, so small it was a fracture… well, maybe the doubt was a little more than a fracture, but he never really thought about it, because he kicked alpha butt, so he HAD to be an alpha. "I don't get it. What would be on the table?"

Price's smile grew wider. "If you win, money, if I win, I get to bite you."

Garfield shifted really uncomfortable now. He sized up Price. The older boy was scrawny next to the people he was used to getting in scuffles with. His teeth were white, strong, perfectly aligned; not sharp, but he was a beta and betas didn't use their teeth to bond. "So I can walk around with a huge hickey on my neck. No thank you. Besides, it's getting late."

"Well, if you ever want to find out, you can always come to me. It's not like I'll do anything one way or the other about it," Price said. He acted and smelled like a beta. Betas were not threats.

"I want dinner first," Garfield joked, though panic was starting to ease bitterly through his chest. He'd thought a lot about this for the better part of a year, had been up many a night wondering why he was now seventeen, nearly eighteen and hadn't presented. He'd get way stronger; have better hearing, eye sight and strength. He'd be able to know things, like the others did.

But he wasn't beta, he knew that. In his heart, he wasn't docile like them. And a Beta biting him? It was funny to think he'd put his fate in the hands of a beta… but who better, if it was going to happen, shouldn't it be with someone who he could easily overpower, push down and run from? Run? That wasn't a very superhero way of doing things, but if he was omega… no, he wasn't.

He stood and stretched, taking comfort in the pull of his muscles, knowing that they were there and that he was strong, solid and could take care of himself. "Say I actually let you do this, what's supposed to happen?"

"It might kick start your body into presenting. Either you'll kick my butt as an alpha and feel the need to prove yourself, or you'll be omega and…" he trailed off, and then cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. "Don't you know anything about this? They have classes in school that you start taking in the fourth grade."

Garfield snorted, his good nature bubbling back up despite the lingering tension in his chest. Price hit a sore spot with him, something he tried very hard to keep buried. "Look at me. Do you really think I've ever been to a public school? I've been home schooled." And _those_ classes were replaced with physical education. He had no interest in them, had never once thought about it in all honesty. He'd never doubted he'd be alpha. His entire team treated him like he was, in the training hall and in the tower. He was one of them, just not presented yet.

"So you don't know anything, about any of this?" Price asked, dubious.

Heat rose up the back of Garfield's neck. Why would he blush about his ignorance on the subject? Why was this subject even coming up? It'd never been important. People were alpha or beta and he was a fighter. He was definitely alpha even if he wasn't showing signs yet. No sweat. No pressure. It wasn't like an actual test he had to study to pass. He had this.

"I'll call you after I thought about it," Garfield said. "But for the record, I'm soooo not worried about this."

When he stepped out of the little room and into the kitchen, the cooks were too busy to notice him. He often wondered how Price secured the room when he was obviously not part of the family owned restaurant. It was a small detail, one that he was sure Robin would've looked into a long time ago, but he wasn't Robin, he didn't have trust issues. He crossed to the back of the kitchen that led into an alley behind the restaurant.

Once outside, his heart once again started racing. What if he didn't have this? What if he was an omega? He'd be one of nearly a dozen that were exposed each year. No, he wouldn't be exposed if Price was the one to test his aspects. Price was a friend, he wouldn't tell anyone and that would give him a chance to think…

Which he wouldn't have to do, because he was sooo not beta or omega. He was definitely alpha.

So why was he still sweating and nervous?

oOo

The door clicked behind the young man, merely a child still and if he was an omega, he'd always be considered a child, something small and fragile needing to be protected. At first, Price had been warned before he'd been contracted for the _job_, that he'd be dealing with someone different. He didn't realize how different they were talking about. The pale green tint to the teen's skin was unusual and no way at all could've been a tattoo. It was too thorough even down to the depths of his pointed elf-like ears. Garfield had pine green hair, soft and was growing long enough to curl around the edges of his ears. His eyes were emerald green, catching the dim light overhead and sparkling in magnitude. His fingers were long, like a surgeon's, and his neck swan-like and almost delicate. Despite his age, he was muscular, or as muscular as his body type would allow more like a runner or swimmer, something smooth and graceful that curved the body's angles just right.

Price held his breath to wait for the tiniest details to change about the room, signaling that he wasn't alone. They never came. The masked man was able to sneak in every time. The details of his features were hidden behind the expressionless mask, but he was tall, and broad, giving off an alpha air. The pheromones, he couldn't smell, but no doubt the alpha was giving them off.

"Good work, Price. Now convince him to let you be the one to do it, right here in this room," the masked man said.

"I looked him up. You're having me mess with a Teen Titan which isn't cool. I don't want to be in the invited to that party when they realize someone's sniffing around their teammate."

"You shouldn't have gone looking into it, Price. Curiosity killed the cat."

The threat made his skin crawl. Instead of looking at the man, he looked at the corner of the room where one of the cameras he knew for sure, was placed. "I'll see what I can do."

Every alpha wanted the legendary omega, a species that might as well be as elusive as the proverbial unicorn, given that there were only twenty registered omegas in the city and less than five hundred in the world.


	2. Chapter 2

Garfield stared at the blinking curser in the search box on the internet. He could do this. He typed O.M.E. then paused. The word was so awful sitting there on the bar. He immediately erased it. It would be forever imprinted in the search engine and if anyone looked at his records, they would know he was searching this word for information that he was never taught, because it had never been important and it still shouldn't be important… _It's not!_ He corrected himself.

Heat rushed to his face at the implication. Instead he typed, "alpha anatomy." The search results came with guides, charts, and graphic photos. His heart stopped.

Holy Knot Tying! The blood completely drained from his face. Not happening. Definitely (k)not happening! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! To think how this would work! The images left him sweaty and nervous. He wasn't ready for any of this… if that was his fate, which it wasn't, because he'd know if he was omega… wouldn't he? Wouldn't there be some sort of sign?

He clamped his jaw shut when he realized the tiny, high pitched whine was coming from him. The panic lingered, wrapping tightly around his chest, making it difficult to breath.

Robin and Cyborg were built LIKE THIS! He tried to picture it and that was a horrible idea, because it only made him more nervous. His hands shook. And what about the older heroes? His mouth was suddenly dry as he immediately clicked out of the searches he'd done. This was too much to think about.

He refused to think about it. He liked pizza, video games, arcades and horror movie marathons. He still liked dressing up for Halloween! He wasn't ready for his life to become this complicated, which seemed inevitable if he were proven to be omega. BUT he wouldn't be! He knew that in his heart.

He wasn't… he wasn't this tiny, hormone driven creature that needed to plunge onto something so… so… huge! He felt sick. His stomach flipped. His hands trembled. This won't happen to him. He was worried about the wrong thing. He should be worried about developing a knot and shaft size that would take all the blood from his head to fill.

The intercom cut the silence. "BB, your presence is requested in the training hall."

Garfield yelped, nearly knocking his keyboard and mouse off the desk when his chair fell backwards. He lay sprawled on his back for very long minutes before his breathing went back to normal and he could think. It must've been seconds, because Robin was still waiting when he replied, "Understood."

oOo

Garfield went down hard for the third time, his shoulder slamming into the mat. His bones ached and his head throbbed. He kicked Robin, trying to throw him off and his leader caught his ankle, pulling him across the mat. When Robin fell on top of him, the lithe leader was surprisingly solid and took his mobility, pinning him against the floor. It was the wrong time to notice certain things, like how long Robin's hair was getting or that he'd changed his vigilante colors. His cupid bow lips pursed tight in annoyance was really the wrong thing to be staring at and how his nostrils flared after a hard fight.

"You're not paying attention," Robin accused. His leader stood with easy grace and backed up enough to give him room. "You let your mind wander during a fight and you put your whole team at risk. What's so important that you can't concentrate?"

Garfield sat up, feeling a twinge of protest in his low back and right shoulder. He'd need a hot bath after this, but the promise for comfort did little for the discomfort Robin's question brought. He nervously drew his hand over the back of his neck. "Sorry Robin, I'll try harder."

"I'm right here, Beast Boy," he said.

Garfield felt smaller, realizing he'd been talking to the ground like a reprimanded child. What was that about? He nodded, unsure what he should say.

Despite the mask Robin always wore, he could feel his leader's disappointment. "You're more distracted than usual. I can't put a finger on it, but you've been very…"

"Docile," Cyborg supplied.

Garfield was up on his feet, quicker than he should've moved after slamming his head into the mat so many times, and he felt it too in the way his vision swam. He pointed a finger at Cyborg. "I'm not docile! I've never been docile! House pets are docile! I'm not anyone's house pet!"

Where did that come from? It was clear from Star Fire's open mouth that she was surprised too. Raven and Cyborg were harder to read and he didn't dare turn to look at Robin. Instead, he forced his air in slowly, count, release, until his breathing was normal and his thoughts were less chaotic. _Easy, Garfield, if they suspect something…, you're in the den with lions._

"I'm calling it a night," Robin said. "Everyone is dismissed."

Garfield walked straight off the mat, grabbed his jacket and left without looking at anyone. He thought distance would give him breathing room, but it didn't. He was hot around the collar. His entire body was hot. He was anxious and nervous. It was a terrible waiting game now. Not for the first time today, did he wonder if this was going to be his fate, guys stronger than him pushing him around… and worst of all, would he like it?

oOo

He noticed something was off the minute his green teammate walked into the room. Beast Boy's stroll wasn't nearly as casual. His shoulders were back, he'd been alert on some level, like he expected trouble, but here in the tower, in the safety of their home with all of Cyborg's technology guarding their sanctuary? It made Robin weary.

It wasn't until he had BB on his back, did he smell it. It was slight, past the baby powder and the distinct smell of their general body soaps and lotions that was provided to the tower, was the smallest change in scent. It stirred something alpha in him, something that he never had to deal with. Thankfully, the smell wasn't stronger…yet.

Star Fire floated over the mat, joining the small circle that had formed. Her large eyes were weighed with concern. "What is going on with friend, Beast Boy? He's acting very strange."

Robin frowned. If Garfield walked back in, he'd realize that they were all staring at the door, the last image of him walking out. "He just realized something we already had suspicions about."

"Oh," Star Fire said.

"More like uh-oh," Cyborg said. "He seems to be freaking out, more than Star Fire did when she went through her change."

"We need to keep a close eye on him. He's got a biology lesson coming that we never really prepared him for," Robin said.

"Why is this?" Star Fire asked with innocence. Coming from another planet, she was removed from the earth's social politics.

Robin turned to her, but found the others were watching him too. It wasn't a conversation he'd had with them, though he'd talked to both Bruce and Alfred about this. His mentor and the Justice League agreed with him. Garfield was a valuable member to their team and omegas, when thrown into their omega-gender training at a young age, became inexcusably docile. Though there were natural signs of an obedient nature in Beast Boy, he didn't want to lose the fun, cocky, easy going side of their teammate and friend. The last thing he wanted was for Beast Boy to become timid and frightened. Explaining it in so many words wasn't nearly as easy.

Cyborg nodded his head. "True. He's my little buddy. I don't want anything to change between us."

"It will, when he changes," Raven said. Her aura had darkened with her mood. "His very nature is going to change and we'll change because of it. Omegas are so rare, we have no idea how our biology is going to holdup when nature takes over. We need a plan of action that will keep him safe from us as well."

"Friends, I do not have this problem," Star Fire said.

"Can you go against all of us?" Cyborg asked. A wicked smile curved his lips. He loved games and this sounded like friendly competition, that is, until Garfield really _was_ involved.

Star Fire's eyes glowed. "You want to try this?"

"Game on," Cyborg roared.

Robin excused himself. Raven was right. They needed a fail proof plan in case nature was more than they bargained for.

Raven materialized in the hallway, blocking him from his path. "When it happens, I think it would be best if you bonded with him."

"That's a decision I don't want to make for someone," he answered.

Raven's face remained emotionless. "He's going to lose all rights as a citizen. He's going to be given to a guardian or worse, handed right off to someone to bond with. It will ruin his career with the Titans."

"How much longer is there going to be a Titans team?" he asked. They were all starting to drift. It wasn't too long ago that he got the invitation to join Young Justice, his first stepping stone into the Justice League.

"He looks up to you. We've all seen it. Your opinion means a lot to him," Raven said.

"An opinion is one thing, what you're asking is for me to be the master of another person," he answered. He walked around her, grateful that she didn't follow. "I can't do that."

"Then I hope you're okay when the final decision comes from the Justice League, because his life will be in the hands of the most dominant alpha. Who will that be, do you think? Have you noticed if anyone has their eyes on him?" she called after him.


	3. Chapter 3

Three days, twenty-two hours and thirty minutes. That was how long it had been since Price laid the wager on the table. That's when the very possibility had started circling around in his head. It wasn't going away either. It was a scab that kept itching and if he gave into it, he knew the answer had a possibility of being something he wouldn't like.

Garfield was on the edge of bailing on this idea when he walked through the steamy kitchen with all the pots of fresh food cooking. No one threw him a glance, and he was grateful. He stood so long outside the closed door. A few days ago, he'd have walked right in, threw food on the table and slid into the extra chair. Now, he wasn't feeling so lighthearted.

Price answered the door before he could knock and took a step back, startled. "Gar, I thought you weren't coming tonight."

Heat rushed through him. He couldn't even look Price in the eyes. "I'm not really in the mood to play. I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, sure," Price scooted to the side, letting Garfield past. The room size had never bothered him before, but his issue followed him like an elephant and there was definitely not space for an elephant in a supply closet.

He fought for the words, but when he failed, he shoved his wrist up at Price, who arched his brow in question. "You said you would bite me and it would tell me if I was… was… whatever I am."

Price's laughter eased some of his tension. "Your wrist? You really don't know anything, do you? Have you even decided what you're going to do if you are omega?"

Garfield licked his dry lips. "I'm going to present as alpha, like everyone else around me."

"You don't sound so sure. Do you really want to try forcing this early?" Price asked.

Garfield nodded. Before he could move, he was up against the wall. Robin was right; he'd been way too distracted lately. He froze with his fingers twisted in Price's shirt, nervous. His muscles were taut, ready to push Price back. He shouldn't have hesitated. Robin had trained him to move first and think second, but here he was with Price's minty breath warm against his face. Instead of being pissed off, he was growing even hotter at Price's masculine scent that clung to his clothes, mixed with the clean smell of detergent.

"Is this going to hurt?" he asked.

"I don't know, I've never been in this situation before, but probably, because I don't have sharp canines like most alphas," Price answered. Those were the least comforting words ever.

He tightened his muscle, ready to push Price away. "This is a bad idea. I'll present. I don't need bite marks to prove what I already know."

"But you don't know, or you wouldn't be here. Something happened. You're not so sure anymore," Price pushed.

Garfield squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think past his pounding heart and the blood that was draining from his head, making him woozy. Why was he no longer certain? He didn't have a solid answer, but there was the usual feeling, like the annoying tickle in the throat right before the onslaught of a cold. He just wasn't sure anymore.

Instead of answering, he tilted his head. Price was silent, his breath warm on the area of flesh he intended to bite. He could feel Price's long intake of breath, the way he held his breath and the way he tensed as he leaned in. Garfield tensed too, holding tighter to the older youth, ready to push him away.

"You still don't know where an alpha will bite, yet you instinctually tilted your head, exposing your neck," Price whispered hot against his ears. "I think you already know the answer, my friend."

Panic pushed through him. Was he acting on instinct or just the allure of having someone willingly come this close to his freakishly green and suddenly very hot skin? "I changed my mind."

He tried to jerk away, but Price caught his pulse between his teeth. The feel of nerves being chomped sent all the blood rushing from his head in an instant, leaving his ears drumming and his pulse hammering. The pain was explosive, making every nerve scream in discomfort. Even as Price dislodged his teeth, the ebbing ache didn't cease. Price stared hard at him and he stared hard at the older youth's shirt, the plaid fabric was crinkled under his fists. He slowly released his game buddy and took his first, unsteady breath.

"Nothing happened." He hated how shaky his voice was. He wasn't use to hearing uncertainty from his mouth. Had he really thought he was going to suddenly become omega over just a bite? He was right. There was nothing to fear about any of this.

"Maybe you should let an alpha bite you," Price said.

Garfield found the strength to slip out from between the wall and his friend. There wasn't much air in the supply closest, and he desperately needed more space, somewhere to stretch his limits, to remind him that nothing had changed… even if, way deep down inside, he knew it had.

"Garfield?" Price asked.

He shook his head. "I need to go."

Price was saying something, but he didn't catch a word as he threw the door open and fled through the kitchen, out into the alley. The garbage left a strong scent in the air, along with the many uses the alley had during the night. He bent over, with one hand against the wall for support and tried to vomit. Nothing happened, but there were a number of things stirring in him, mostly insecurity.

Nothing happened… so why was that even less comforting than if something had? His hands were shaking; the tremor ran to the core of his being. "Keep cool, Beast boy." He warned himself.

oOo

Slade rewound the video and watched it again, satisfied with what he witnessed. The display had been over in seconds, but the camera caught the look of surrender that crossed over the young Teen Titan's face at the moment of teeth connecting with his skin. Now all he had to do was let it go viral. Once the cat was out of the bag, the real fun would start.

The alpha in him pondered the chances of keeping the little green teen, but he'd never been one interested in the care and uptake of another. His interests were far more devious. Destruction was the game. To watch the tower fall with one loose cannon was far more appealing.

He pulled the clip from the computer and opened a link with the private email of over three hundred villains, some of which were puny, but the others, the much stronger ones, like him, would cause the most trouble. He added the clip into the email with the title, unclaimed omega. Satisfied, he hit send. The email clocked for a few seconds, than was gone into the digital world.

oOo

The room was closed off from the rest of the tower, yet he knew, as well as the entire team that Beast Boy was capable of getting inside even the most secure of places. He'd be more concerned about their green friend spying, if he actually thought B.B. knew what was going on.

"We knew this was going to happen, one day," Wonder Woman was saying. Robin had to mentally shake himself back into focus. It wasn't like him to drift, unless he was working on a difficult case. There was nothing more than ethics tied to this latest issue. "To be honest, we thought it would be sooner than this, but we have a secure heat room here when Beast Boy goes into full heat."

Batman and Green Arrow stood just behind her. Their faces were unreadable, as always. He hoped his face was the same, careful mask. His thoughts were chaotic, something he should've been able to control.

"I can handle my own people," Robin growled.

She frowned. "You're too close to the subject. When Beast Boy goes into heat, you need people who are far enough removed to make the better decisions for him."

"We'll see." Robin closed out the communication and the screen went black. Still, _when he goes into heat, _echoed in his mind. It was time to do some heavy research on omegas. His first point of interest would be with Alfred. In all the years he lived there, never had Alfred acted like an omega.

It didn't help that something primal roved in his lower gut, serpentine and tightly coiled. Blood was started to pool in his shaft, making it tight. A few steady breathes and it went away, this time. What would happen once BB smelled like an omega in heat? That was something he'd never smelled before.

oOo

Garfield stood in the shower, letting the scolding hot water burn lines across his flesh. He didn't cock his head and allow the water to directly pound on the bite mark. It was still tender and bruised.

_Stupid_. How utterly stupid an idea that had been! Unless he walked around the tower with a scarf around his neck, the bruise wasn't going to go unnoticed. It was shaped like a mouth had literally bit him, only the purple and brown extended past the bite making it large and noticeable. Luckily it was only a red and purple bruise, but the skin was never broken. Otherwise, it would've been a scar that would be hard to explain otherwise.

He turned the tap off and toweled the droplets from his body. He dressed in pajama bottoms and forwent the shirt, the bruise ached enough without fabric rubbing against it. The closet bathroom opened up into his room and he flopped on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was beyond exhausted. Every cell in his body coaxed him to drift off into sleep. It was his mind working against that promised reprieve that kept him awake, but not fully alert.

A hard knock on his door startled him from the bed. "Can this wait?"

"We need to talk." Robin's voice was solid through the wood, and Garfield was sure he wasn't even talking against it. Their leader's voice carried in the quiet.

He dashed around the room, grabbing his hoodie and pulling it over his head. The fabric inside the coat was soft against his belly. It wasn't something he'd ever noticed before. It was startling, much like the knock in the quiet of the night. The hoodie wasn't enough to cover the marks. He needed a scarf. He dug around his clothes pile before panic surged. He couldn't find a scarf.

He faked a cough and inwardly winced. That was horrible! He knew he was faking and Robin would too. Nothing escaped his leader's super detective brain. "I'm sick, come back in a week." A week! What was he thinking? Like that was subtle.

"A week?" Robin mirrored his own surprise. "Open the door Beast Boy. I'm not kidding."

Okay, this was about to get super awkward. He pulled the hood up over his head, low over his eyes, grabbed a tissue and pulled his hands into the long sleeves so it would look like he was running a temperature, then he pulled the door open. Robin, though lean, his dominance filled the doorway. Garfield fought the desire to step back, or worse, sniff the air. He was an alpha too, as far as anyone knew… including him. Price hadn't proved anything. He faked another cough.

Robin stared hard at him. "You missed dinner. I wanted to make sure you were alright. You should go down to the infirmary. Raven has things to help with your cold."

Garfield sighed, and the following intake of breath brought with it Robin's scent. He smelled sharp, like sandalwood and soap. Garfield lowered his head before he realized it, the hood dropping low over his face. Robin took a step into the room and BB quickly stepped back, putting distance between them. The window was still open, serving as a quick escape if his pulse raced any faster. _Again, with the running. Heroes didn't run._ But would anyone blame him on this one? Omegas were rare and if he was an omega… what did that mean for his future as a hero?

Robin eyed him and he felt that his leader was seeing everything with x-ray eyes, that he was aware of the bruise on his neck and what he'd been up too. When nothing was said, he had to hold the sigh of relief, afraid Robin would notice the sudden lack of tension in his shoulders. It was better if the captain thought he was tense because he was sick.

"Come down for dinner. Star left your food in the fridge," Robin said.

Garfield nodded, grateful when Robin left. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad. The bruise would go away and he could say the cold wasn't as bad as he thought.

oOo

Every hair on the back of Robin's neck prickled when he heard BB tell him to come back in a week. It wasn't until he came into his room that he could tell why. BB claimed to be sick, but his teammate was a little paler than his usual shade of green. He kept at an angle as if he were hiding something. The smell of water and body wash was fresh on his skin, but it didn't hide the underlining scent of an omega in stress.

It took every ounce of control to turn and leave BB in his room alone. The window was open. He'd clearly gone out for the night and something had upset him. He didn't like this and he didn't like how much it affected him.


	4. Chapter 4

Garfield stuffed two mini cinnamon buns into his mouth, licking the cream cheese at the edges of his mouth. "The cold wasn't that bad."

He followed it up with a sip from his Oreo milkshake. He was really craving sugar and in general, just food, like he hadn't eaten in months. It was a strange feeling, being hungrier than normal. There were a few nights when Cyborg and he consumed three pizzas, but this morning, he was way hungrier than that.

Still, nothing happened from the bite. All that worrying, all week, and nothing happened! He was better than fine. He was great! He was an alpha! He was a superhero! He just hadn't presented yet… but he was definitely an alpha.

"You're eating more than normal. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Raven asked.

Garfield blinked, pondering a good answer. His entire team sat at the table with empty plates. They already consumed their meat proteins, something he could never willingly share in. He'd been so hungry when he sat down, consuming plant based protein, tons of soy and tofu. He also consumed a great deal of carbohydrates and an impressive amount of sugar. However, he hadn't noticed until now, how they stared.

"What? It's not like you haven't seen me eat before," he growled, mildly irritated. He wasn't going to let them ruin this perfect day. To prove it, he stuffed a tea dessert sized lemon pastry into his mouth. It was so good. The sugar went straight to his brain, calming an itch he couldn't quite explain. That same itch was just under the surface of his throat and along his rib cage, his inner thighs and his inner arms.

"It's just, you know…" Cyborg started.

"You're eating like you're a pregnant _Goobenger-Lington_," Star Fire supplied.

"Pregnant?" Beast Boy broke out in tears of laughter. "Star Fire, alpha men don't get pregnant on earth. We don't have that genetic makeup!"

He didn't quite miss the look Robin threw him before standing to drop his plate off in the sink. That look stole the laughter from him. He was blushing. Damnit! There was no reason to blush. He wasn't hiding anything.

The emergency alarm tore through the awkward silence, saving him from his quickly detracting thoughts. He jerked away from the table and moved to the grid that encompassed the entire television screen.

"Penguin is at the City Hall. He's never crossed over into our city before."

Another red light flashed and when they clicked the details, it took them to the park, "A-Mortal," Cyborg hissed. "We need to let the Justice League know he's in town."

"Another light!" Star exclaimed. Lights were blinking all over the map, in close proximity and steadily getting closer to the tower.

"Gorilla Grodd is attacking the bank," Robin said. "Something isn't right."

"I can take Gorilla Grodd," Garfield exclaimed. The group shouted, their individual statements were lost in jumbled statements.

"Beast Boy, stop," Robin ordered.

The door went hazy and Garfield turned to look at it. Raven was tiffed on the other side of the bubble. Was she trying to catch him? What were they thinking? They were being way too uptight.

He paused in the doorway. They just stood there staring at him, horrified. "Don't worry. I'll handle this quick and catch up with you guys."

"Beast Boy!" Robin yelled.

There was never an issue they couldn't handle and right now, he was the only one strong enough to take Gorilla Grodd alone, while the rest of the team needed to work together to take the others down. "I'll catch up with you guys as soon as possible!"

oOo

They were already in motion with Star Fire and Raven flying ahead of the jet Cyborg operated. The screen came on and Wonder Woman was on the receiving end.

"We have an issue," they said at the same time. He nodded and let Wonder Woman go first.

"This came across our computer five minutes ago," she said.

Her face disappeared, showing a video of Beast Boy presenting his neck. The young man bit Beast Boy and the look on his face went from pain to surrender within seconds. The older teen pulled away and Beast Boy took a second to gather himself. There were no words and the tape was less than forty seconds long, but that's all it took for his shaft to grow ramrod.

"We're dealing with an invasion of enemies in the city," he reported, grateful the new strain in his body didn't reflect in his voice. His jaw ached with the desire to fasten his teeth into BB's flesh and mark territory that _should _only belonged to him; the leader, the protector, and soon to be lover.

_Instincts._ That was all this was and he had to be better. He was the leader. The group depended on him to make the better choices for them.

"Where is Beast Boy?" she asked.

"He went ahead to stop Gorilla Grodd. He doesn't understand the risk he's taking. We're on our way to get him first," Robin answered. His pent up anger was sudden. He should've put his foot down. Earlier that week when something clearly was bothering Beast Boy, he should've used that moment to explain to him the situation they all believed was coming, but he hadn't.

"I agree with your decisions. Protect Beast Boy. We're on our way to help the city." There was no goodbye. There was nothing.

"You didn't tell her that he's going into estrus," Cyborg said. "I never seen a _Goobenger-Lington,_ but Star Fire was right. He was acting like a pregnant something."

"Not pregnant," Robin replied, feeling the tightness in his jaw, mirrored only by the discomfort in the tightness of his crotch. "You're right, he's going into estrus. He's eating so he can fast during mating."

"What's the plan, Robin?" Cyborg asked.

Robin gave his brain a mental shake. That was the real question. What now? "He needs to understand his place when he's in heat."

The larger teen snorted. "He'll accept you as a captain, but I don't think BB is going to be up for alpha showcasing," Cyborg stated from the front of the aircraft. "What was that he said in training? Oh yeah. _I'm nobody's house pet_."

"As an omega, he's going to need to understand his place with the team," Robin stated. A primal part of his brain added, _knotted right under me._

They were jetting over the city. Raven and Star Fire weren't within visual. As they neared the bank, his stomach tightened. He had to do what was best for Beast Boy, and that meant let him go through his first heat without anyone touching him. He had to protect him. And then he had to decide if Garfield would go to a guardian or a mate.

oOo

The bank was a straight shot, right over the park. Beast Boy flew higher, to stay out of A-Mortal's view. His mind was so busy thinking about his entrance into the bank as the warm wind drew under his wings, pulling him higher into the sky. At first he didn't register the sudden lack of mobility in his right wing. The pins and needle pain started to spread through his body, dragging him towards the earth.

The wind whistled against his ear drums as he kept his wings straight, coasting lower and lower to the ground. He rode the warm draft downward, past the park where his sharp, hawk vision caught A-Mortal tearing a swing set out of the ground. Garfield shook his head, before he realized his thoughts were drifting. They never drifted this badly. It was almost as if… as if… he was under the influence of sedatives, something he was too painfully familiar with.

His body swooped lower, past the bank where Gorilla Grodd stood on the cement staircase, looking as though he were waiting. His gorilla horde waited on the surrounding building tops, still as statues. He tried to focus his mind on looping around, but he kept going downward; past the local high school, extremely close to the bridge until the wind shifted his direction and he drifted down into the heat soaked stench of the auto junk yard.

He shifted his molecules into his human form the minute his feet touched the firm ground. He waited, hunched and searching for normalcy within his vitals. He lifted his arm, finding the source of his sudden incoherency. He plucked the pencil thin dart from his arm and examined it. It was solid metal and had a tracer on the tip that blinked. He looked up when the air rippled.

"Kyd Wykkyd?"

The H.I.V.E. Five member didn't answer, though he never spoke. Garfield shoved himself off the ground and tried to face him head on, but his foot slipped on the debris and it sent him sliding into an alcove of flattened and stacked cars. It did little for his vision. The sedative in his system was a pressing weight at the back of his head begging for him to lie down. If Wykkyd touched him, he would have even less of a chance to fight if they were transported somewhere outside his advantage, like the H.I.V.E.

Kyd Wykkyd held up the transmitter and Garfield stared at it, confused. He must've dropped it when he fell. He wasn't thinking straight. But who darted him? "Are you giving it back?"

Kyd Wykkyd made an upward gesture, silently saying _look_. Garfield swallowed the lump at the back of his throat as Kyd dropped it and stomped on the transmitter until it was broken plastic and the light was dead. Friend or foe? This was suddenly confusing and he didn't have the brain power to process it.

"Don't you work with the H.I.V.E.?" Garfield asked, sure that the H.I.V.E. Five member wouldn't destroy a transmitter that cost well into the hundreds.

Kyd Wykkyd barely shook his head before he jolted forward, eyes wide with shock. The silver boomerang flew towards them and attached itself onto Kyd Wykkyd's neck with a solid click. His fingers went to the device, clawing it with such ferocity that his nails left marks in his skin.

"What the hell is that?" Garfield asked, stepping forward.

"Look H.I.V.E., two for the price of one. It really is our lucky day," a voice echoed as the numerous copies of Billy Numerous sang out.

Kyd Wykkyd moved to his side, nearly tucking himself behind Beast Boy. More members of the H.I.V.E appeared and a few of Billy Numerous' copies disappeared, allowing them entrance. Gizmo was taller now, but still had his metal backpack strapped to his back. Mammoth remained big, like a prehistoric genetic cross between a human and a saber-toothed lion.

"Mmm, a little Teen Titan," Mammoth said.

Garfield tightened his jaw, refusing to mention that he wasn't all that tiny any more. Years of service with the Titans helped his shoulders to broaden, maybe not like the other males in the organization, but he wasn't small either. The small group moved in and the sweeping wind brought the strong smell of presented alpha. Great. Everyone was presented, but him. That's fine, he was still strong in his animal forms.

Kyd Wykkyd made a move, but Mammoth was quicker, catching him by the throat and slamming him hard against the cars. Garfield focused on an animal that could do more than knock the men around. He focused on something that would put them down for the count. Only problem was… his body wasn't doing a darn thing.

Gizmo laughed, stepping into the mix. He sniffed the air. "Wykkyd's heat is coming. Beast Boy probably has another week."

"I'm not an omega," Garfield hissed. The group laughed. That wasn't the response he expected. He fisted his hands, trying to force his change. The forced concentration made his temples ache, followed by pressure behind his eyelids.

Gizmo chuckled. "This will be your first heat, Beast Boy?"

"Mmm, first heat," Mammoth growled in approval.

Gizmo handed Mammoth a collar, one that matched what Kyd Wykkyd wore. "I hope your jaw can expand enough to take a knot. We'll get you knotted on both ends."

"Forget waiting," Billy Numerous' doubles echoed.

Mammoth approached and Garfield lunged at the massive hand holding the collar. He latched his teeth onto Mammoth's knuckles and got a roar for his effort and a hard backhand that sent him up against the metal. He lunged at Mammoth again, determined to get his point across.

"Are you serious?" Gizmo growled. "You can't fight us. You're out numbered."

Their scent was nearly as clouding as whatever was in his system, but he refused to go down. He wasn't going to allow the group to gang bang him because they thought he was an omega…

Thought… Jesus, he really hoped it was _just_ a thought. But his body felt strange, lighter. He had difficulty concentrating and strategizing.

Mammoth's hand was bleeding, but that didn't detour the massive beast and the anger that made his eyes stone cold. Without his ability to change, Mammoth massively outweighed him, but he'd rather go down a warrior than a coward. He'd die before he let an alpha fuck him.

"Uh-oh, I think we pissed off the little green teen," Gizmo said. There was a second of a pause before his lips curled into a sneer. "But its difficult doing anything about it isn't it, Beast Boy? By now, you're noticing your body isn't cooperating with you."

Mammoth grabbed him by the shoulder and squeezed. The pressure nearly sent him cowering, but that would be submissive. He would show them who he was; a Titan!

He leaned into the hand holding him and sunk his teeth into the man's thick arm. Blood gushed into his mouth. He choked, determined not to swallow it. He didn't let up until Mammoth swung him into the stacked cars again. The impact vibrated through his bones, making his ears ring.

"It's cute you think you can fight the alphas off," Billy Numerous doubles spoke in chorus. There was a hand on his shoulder, than two more on his arm, pressing him back, making him immobile.

Before he could register what was happening, sharp teeth sunk into his neck. His pulse jumped to the back of his throat. Nerve endings fired sporadically through his system, and something in his brain gave in. He was leaning into the hot mouth on his throat. His body curved into the other, seeking heat and comfort and… and…

"Did you sigh like that for him too?" Only one Billy whispered against his cheek, licking the ridge of his ear with his hot tongue. "How does a Teen Titan find himself in a pantry with a beta? If that had been me, you never would've left the room."

"Oh…" That… That wasn't good. What happened? How did they know about the pantry? And Price?

He needed to clear his head. He _needed_ to fight.

"He is closer to estrus than I thought." Gizmo now stood at their side. His hand slid to Garfield's crotch and gave it a small squeeze before his fingers dug lower between his thighs.

Garfield jerked from Billy and punched Gizmo. The feel of his knuckles coming into contact with cartilage was satisfying. The young villain jerked back when blood exploded from his nose.

"Fucking bite him again. Force his heat," he ordered, holding his hand over his nose.

Billy multiplied again and hands were already shoving him back into the ground, forcing him down and yanking at his clothes. He kicked, just to have his ankles grasped. He tried to punch, but his wrists were pressing down into the dirt.

Mammoth moved forward. "An omega threatening an alpha? Time to know your place, breeder."

"Kid, omegas have only one place in society, ask your alpha heroes," Billy said.

"Maybe he doesn't know what the Teen Titans or Justice League has planned for him," Gizmo said. He held a white handkerchief over his nose, spotted with blood. His eyes were watery and dark, clearly pissed.

Billy grinned. "Did you think they were going to keep letting you be a hero once you presented? Omegas belong pregnant, barefoot and house bound. They live to serve the knot, any knot. Maybe they were going to pass you around."

Garfield held his breath, trying to make the headache go away. "That's not true. I'm not an omega."

"I can smell it," Mammoth said.

Mammoth came towards him and a black bubble encompassed the large alpha. A screech followed a shadow that passed overhead, then golden rings of energy whacked Gizmo. Billy Numerous jerked into action. It was Kyd Wykkyd that forced Garfield to his feet, but he couldn't find purchase with the way he kept shivering.

The Teen Titan jet landed and both Cyborg and Robin jumped out when the bubble top popped open. A sudden overwhelming sense of vulnerability crashed into him. He couldn't fight. The bite made his skin tighten and crawl. The fight was a blur of colors and the only thing he could focus on was the deep rooted growls, the smell of blood and testosterone. It made his temperature sweltering hot in his tight spandex hero suit.

Maybe if he turned into an animal that didn't have these problems… But it would still be _his_ body, _his_ status coming to light, _his_ new role in life.

_Maybe he doesn't know what the Teen Titans or Justice League has planned for him._

He turned to Kyd Wykkyd and tugged on the silver collar around his neck. There wasn't a latch, and though he could see where it connected, there wasn't a release button. He tugged on it again, until Wykkyd's fingers caught his wrists and stilled his movement. Wykkyd met his eyes and gave a small shake of his head. Was he saying this was useless?

"I don't think it's safe for you," he said. Talking made the nerves and muscles in his tight throat ache. It made him painfully aware of the sensitivity not only in his skin but in his other senses too.

The battle grew louder, more vicious. The word omega was thrown around, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The H.I.V.E. called him an omega. Some of the fights they'd been in were violent, but this made his skin crawl.

Cold fingers on his jaw drew his attention back. Wykkyd was staring hard at him, as if he wanted something to be clear. He pointed a finger to himself, and then placed that same fingertip on Garfield's chest. Garfield shook his head. "I don't know what you want."

Cosmo flew over their head, crash landing into the cars just beyond the alcove. Kyd grabbed his wrist and gave him a yank to follow, but he shook his head. Kyd wasn't ready to give up. He tried a little harder, and Garfield slipped from his hold.

"They need my help," he said.

Kyd Wykkyd's brows furrowed and he shook his head. The tug was less than friendly, but he gave up quickly enough, disappearing behind a low gap in the way the cars were laid on top of each other. Garfield turned back to the fighting group. The heavy smell of blood was in the air, along with a smell he really liked. It made his stomach tighten and heart quicken.

He shook his head at the creeping thought. His mind wasn't as quick to be rid of the way the smell affected him. His attention roved over the alphas locked in battle, until his attention landed on Robin, surrounded by Billy Numerous. The smells were new to him. His animal side _smelled_ the team he fought with. He knew the scent of everyone in the Justice League and even the solo heroes, but this was different. He smelled something completely different now, and he really liked it.

He swallowed hard. Action was the only way to get his mind off the slowly building pressure in his lower spine. He rushed forward at the numerous bodies, switching his direction when he caught wind of the really Billy. Their bodies collided and they went down hard. Within a blink, he was on his back with Billy pressing his hardness into his thigh.

"Tsk, tsk, omega. Already in heat. Can't wait for a knot?" Billy's lips brushed across his cheeks and his skin flushed.

Before he could kick the older teen off, gloved hands grabbed him by the shoulder, pushing him back. The H.I.V.E. was subdued, but his own heart was racing as he sat on the ground, dizzy.

"Friend Beast Boy! Thank the stars you are alive!" Star Fire shrieked. Her arms were open to hug him and he immediately stepped away. "We went to the bank, but you were not there."

"Gorilla Grodd?" He inquired. Once again, he felt uneasy with the company.

"The Justice League is dealing with the town issues," Robin said.

The Justice League was in town? His heart sped up. He needed to stand, but he couldn't find the strength just yet.

One scent was painfully obvious among the group of alphas. This scent smelled like sword polish and primal, almost roguish musk. These weren't smells he should've discerned. These weren't scents that should've made his toes curl when he was already painfully familiar with them.

It was Robin that broke the silence again when the group stood there staring. "You're bleeding. We need to get your cut clean."

Garfield tentatively touched his neck and winced. It hurt, but the wave of pain sent heat rushing to his belly. He swallowed hard. "I'll survive. We need to help the Justice League. This is our town."

"No."

Garfield looked up when he realized his attention was on the ground. What was he thinking? Robin's eyes were dark and hard behind the mask. He was taller, shot up like a weed two summers ago. His chest was broad, his shoulders corded and his waist lean. He wasn't a kid anymore. None of them were. And they were all drifting. He saw the letter that came in, addressed to Robin from the Young Justice League.

And those emotionless eyes were staring at him so intently. Robin's nose was flaring, but he didn't move closer. Garfield swallowed hard.

He was so dizzy. His brain was fuzzy and his skin needed to be doused in cold water. Worst, the pressure was moving low into his gut, making his insides pulse. It was Robin's scent that was confusing him. He fought the desire in his body that made him want to roll onto his hands and knees. This feeling was raw. It was new. _And_ it was unwelcomed.

_I'm no one's pet. I'm no one's fetch dog. I'm no one's house bound omega._

Star move in closer and he was careful not to step away, though everything inside him screamed that he needed the space when he got to his feet. "You're face, Beast Boy. Did you purposely run into a wall?"

The tension in the air said they knew he was different now. They could smell it. God, everything inside him said his leader could smell it. Was Robin disappointed? That's why no one was mentioning the elephant in the room. No one whispered the "o" word while his neck was bleeding and his skin was sweltering hot.

"We need to get back to the tower," Robin said. He glanced back at the alcove. "Where is Kyd Wykkyd?"

"I- I don't know," Garfield said.

"He's part of the H.I.V.E., Beast Boy," Robin said.

Garfield widened his stance. He didn't want to fight about this, especially with his swollen check and the way his neck pulsed. "He's not part of the H.I.V.E. They wanted him."

He wasn't about to tell them that they'd wanted the both of them, though Raven saw the collar Mammoth was going to place on him when she swooped in.

"Kyd Wykkyd is gone, but he left the collar behind," Raven floated over to them and suddenly stopped. She lifted her head taking in the air and her face hardened. "Oh."

Oh. That word summed it all up. Even Robin's features hardened. He didn't like this at all.

"Get in the jet," Robin ordered.

Garfield swallowed. "We need to talk first."

"Not here, Beast Boy," Robin warned.

Garfield swallowed his anger. "Yes, here. You can't order me around like I'm a child!"

Robin took a step forward and he immediately took a step back. The hairs on his neck stood on end. His entire body felt like a feather and at any second, it would go adrift with the wind.

Robin stopped moving, his face hardened. "Don't run or this is going to get worse."

"How bad do you think it already is?" Beast Boy countered, taking another step back. It felt bad too him, and it was _his_ body that went foreign on him.

There was no way he was going to be able to go up against Robin in combat. Eighty percent of the time they went hand to hand in combat, he ended up on his back. Robin had the strength and the weight. Now that their leader was nearing the end of his teens, he was also strategic and clever.

Garfield's greatest strength was in his animal assets when he morphed.

"If you run, you are going to force me to chase you. Your body will naturally release dopamine to your brain. It's okay. This is expected for an omega in heat and searching for his mate. Your serotonin level will rise when I catch you. You're biology is going to work against you when your instincts kick in. You're going to want to bond."

Garfield snorted. "Chemicals? Bonding? I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm not an omega. I don't want to be treated like one. I'm not going to cook for the league and stay home all day so you…" he swallowed. "So you can…" Okay, he really couldn't throw what he wanted to throw into their faces because they were staring and he was bleeding and uncomfortable about his hot skin and the way the world suddenly smelled. "I'm just not going to do it, you know."

"Robin?" Star Fire mumbled behind him.

Garfield could see it as clear as Star Fire. During their conversation, Robin was braced for the challenge. Garfield sighed. He couldn't outrun any of them as a human. And what if Robin was right about running? What if it did do something to his body? If he was omega…

"I'll go with you, because I need to shower and change my clothes, and not because I was ordered to," he said.

He didn't start walking towards the jet until Robin's stance softened. He let the group come near close, careful not to give any of them a reason to bind him. He had to think his way through this. Robin wasn't the only one that could strategize situations.


	5. Chapter 5

Honey: Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it! 3

"Someone needs to go with him while he showers," Raven said.

Robin glanced at Beast Boy. The smaller Teen Titan leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. His mid-shoulder length hair clung to his face with sweat. Even at seventeen, the pouty, disapproval only softened his face. His clothes were torn, his cheek was bruised and his throat was bleeding. The sweet smell of omega near heat mixed with sweat soaked latex costumes filled the narrow hallway.

"Dude, I'm standing right here. I don't need a chaperone. I'm not five. I'm not going to drown in the shower," he hissed, completely missing the true rationale behind their conversation. He waved his gloved hands over his cheeks miming fish gulls. "I can turn into a fish, remember."

"Agreed. Someone should go with him. The Justice League is going to be here shortly and I think it'd be better if the wound was clean," Robin said.

"You're the leader, you should go with him," Cyborg said.

Beast Boy pushed away from the wall, turning his back on them. His lithe form stood still a fraction of a second to deliver his declaration. "I'm showering alone."

If he was shaken by the close call, he didn't let on. He was holding strong, but the younger Titan's shoulders were tight. He was leery of all of them. A cornered animal would fight. They had to be cautious how they approached this situation, because Garfield's instincts were animalistic. Beast Boy in human form was easy to manage, but he was capable of taking on many forms that outranked even Robin's best skill.

"Flight risk," Raven stated, under her breath.

It was exactly what he was thinking.

"You're freaking me out Raven, quit it," Beast Boy hissed at the end of the hall, turning to face them. His emerald green eyes were bright from his elevated temperature. His ripped suit exposed muscular flesh underneath, but he was lean. He'd always be lean. "I'll meet you perverts back in operations when I'm done."

Robin's thoughts drifted to the ever present weight of his knot at the base of his shaft. That was the wrong direction for a leader to head.

Cyborg placed a large hand on Robin's shoulder, drawing his attention. "Teen Titans aren't go'in to be around forever man. Someone is go'in to have to watch out for the kid when we disband. And you know BB. He thinks he takes care of us."

"We'll discuss this when the Justice League arrives," he said. In that short discussion, he missed Raven and Star Fire slipping out of the hallway, leaving them alone. It was only after Cyborg followed, that he realized he was the last one to do exactly as he had ordered the others to do; watch Beast Boy.

His throat was dry. It didn't throb like his shaft wanting contact with the virgin hole. He glanced back down the hallway, truly finding himself alone. He couldn't give Beast Boy too much free reign without worrying the omega would hang himself with all the metaphysical rope.

He made it to Garfield's private quarters and punched in the code for the keypad door. He knew everyone's code, but respected them enough never to use it… until now. At this very moment, Garfield lost his rank within the tower. While the shower was running and steam filtered through the cracked bathroom door, Beast Boy was unaware that he lost all equality with his tower mates and within society.

The Justice League would decide Garfield's fate, because he couldn't. The city was his mistress. That's how he was raised. An omega would slow him down. He'd be like _any_ alpha with an omega; concerned, overly protective, and possessive. It would distract him from what he was raised to do; to defend the city.

The shower knob squeaked and the water cut off. The shower curtains brushed against the rod as they were pulled back. Garfield's wet feet slapped onto the flooring; obviously, he was missing a bathroom mat. There was another groan, but Robin couldn't put it in context. The sink came on, briefly. The cabinets were opened and shut. He tried to piece Garfield's routine together, then realized how intimate that was. He couldn't get overly familiar with the team mate he was giving up.

The door open and Garfield stood in the doorway with a towel barely clutched low on his hips. The tips of his wet hair brushed his shoulders. He pectoral muscles were strong and flat and his abdominal muscles tight and lean. It would take years of inactivity to get his body perfect to carry a pup. None of this, however, seemed to cross the royally pissed off omega's expression.

"I can tie my own shoelaces, _daddy_," he growled, moving into the room.

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Robin, but the inclination only drew heat along the back of his neck and down his spine. He'd be a good daddy. A protective daddy. He wouldn't let anyone around his omega…

Garfield turned his back, apparently pretending the alpha wasn't there, but he was sure Beast Boy… _No; it was Garfield now that he lost his hero status,_ could smell him just as sharply.

Robin tried to breath shallow, refusing to be influenced by the subtle scent. "Until you've bonded with an alpha, you're a flight risk."

Garfield loudly shoved his dresser open and closed, grabbing his clothes. "Should I be mortified that you want to watch me dress?"

Robin kept his mouth shut. Despite Garfield's complaining, the young omega was still naked with a towel wrapped around his waist, but he wasn't moving too quickly.

"Right," Garfield grumbled. His heart picked up its pace. He was most definitely a flight risk. He crossed the room with a finger pointed at Robin. "This is super annoying. If we had upper management, I complain." He thought about that for a moment, his brows furrowing in thought. The omega had a lot of thoughts and sometimes they streamed together in conscious unity and sometimes they were immature and garbled. "Forget it. I forgot what I'm up against."

"And what do you think you're up against?" Robin asked, mindful that there was less than a foot between them. He allowed the omega to talk over him as he remained in the chair. It gave Gar a false sense of security.

Garfield's brows furrowed more. He swallowed hard. "You think that I'm… I'm…"

"An omega?" he supplied.

"Yes, that's obvious. We know that I am. But you think I'm… I'm just going to mate and I'll be fine with it?"

"You might be hours or minutes from your heat. Get dressed and we'll discuss this in the main operations," Robin ordered.

Garfield swallowed. A small shiver made his shoulders tighten. "I respect your authority as a captain, Robin, but I'm not going to submit to an alpha."

"You can't stop your genetic impulses," Robin said. He knew a great deal about genetic impulse. It was currently confined in his pants, wanting nothing more than to be confined in Garfield's tight channel. He mentally shook that thought. He had too much authority over Garfield. It wouldn't be fair even if the omega was more than willing.

"Watch me," Garfield growled. Despite his comment, he didn't take a step back. His pupils dilated and he swallowed hard. His face softened. "You… you smell different."

That was a loaded statement. There were no books written from the omega prospective; what they smelled, how they felt, how bonding effected their mentality. What made omegas completely give in to the alpha? It was physically there in front of him, yet a very undefined and unexplored idea.

Garfield dropped his clothes and swayed. Robin barely sat up straight in the desk chair before the omega straddled his hips. It was utterly unexpected, stealing his breath when Gar knocked it from his lungs. "Garfield…"

"I just want to smell you. Nothing else," Garfield growled.

The towel bunched up between their bodies, wet with shower water and warm from the fevered omega's skin. Robin kept his thumbs pinned in place at the edge of the chair as a small voice in the back of his head warned him not to move. He had to be still, like one would when observing a hummingbird poking around a flower within three feet of them.

He took a deep breath of the omega on his lap. He smelled like their generic body wash. He was clean, and his skin still wet from not thoroughly toweling off. He wanted to lick the water drops from the hollow of Garfield's shoulder. He wanted to suck the pebbled nipples into his mouth. They were perfect, taut and begged to be tongued.

"I will suffocate you with my pillow if you tell me this is instincts," Garfield mumbled, but the threat was empty. There was an underlining, nervous tremor in his tone.

Robin took a steady breath and tilted his chin, exposing his neck when it was clear his team mate had no idea how to do this. "Don't be nervous. Smell behind my ear, down my throat and under my chin."

Garfield leaned in and brushed the tip of his nose against his skin. Robin was instantly aware of two things; that the wetness seeping into his clothes wasn't all from the wet towel and that Garfield had a death grip on his shoulders. His omega friend thought he had full control. He wasn't aware that Robin was strong enough to easily flip them, but he didn't mind giving in to the green omega, and allowing him to believe he was dominating the situation.

The omega subconsciously rocked his hips side to side instead of back and forth. At first, it had the vibe of nervous energy, but all too soon, Robin caught the characteristics of someone inexperienced with sex. He wanted to catch Garfield's hips and lead the slow movement. It was innocent on Garfield's end and oh-so-difficult to stay utterly still while the omega found his bearings.

Garfield made a soft, mind blowing sound. It was an escape of air that was barely a whistle of need. Robin inched his hands out from under him and tentatively touched the terry cloth towel with his finger tips, raising it an inch so he could touch fever warm skin. The omega's breath hitched.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to take the edge off," Robin said.

The pause between them felt long as he rubbed small, tight circles with his fingers on Garfield's thighs. There was little give to the tight muscle he kneaded. Garfield was small, but compact from years of battle and practice. He knew better than to do this, to take advantage, but his alpha brain was starting to pulse like the very heavy knot trapped in the confines of his pants.

"I don't want to be topped or owned," Garfield stated.

He pushed the towel a little higher, running tight circles, higher and higher until thigh became the curve of his rump. Garfield buried his face into Robin's shoulder and his breath warmed his neck. It felt excellent. The small teen gulped and his body shook with the effort. He was nervous.

"Trust me to do what's right for you," he said. He spoke these words many times to his team when they were about to go into a fight when the odds were against them. Now he used it, because he knew Garfield was more comfortable with the captain and would always be.

The green Titan instantly relaxed, until Robin's left hand came up to the small of his back to stabilize him and pull him closer. His right finger went low enough to feel the omega's heated entrance. He circled the puckered muscle as Garfield gasped into his neck, his fingers tightening lower on his arms, but he didn't reach around to stop him.

"Robin?" His voice was small and squeezed. He was scared, but the heat made him malleable.

Garfield's entrance was wet, not soppy, but defiantly wet. The muscle tightened when he probed the tip of his finger into the taut hole.

"Breathe," he whispered against Garfield's cheek when he realized the omega held his breath.

He pushed more, until he went past the first line of muscle. Garfield threw his head back, moaning as the muscle in his legs flexed, gripping for stability.

"Please," Garfield whispered.

Robin pulled him closer, not meaning for their crotches to line up. He was aware the little omega could feel him through the flexible and thin material of his clothing. His nails dug in deeper, threatening to bruise, but Robin continued, pushing in and out of the tight omega hole with one finger until Garfield's breathing quickened.

"Please, more," Garfield whispered. Not gone… The omega was fighting to stay in control of his mentality.

Robin swallowed hard. The smell of omega was making his alpha brain want to rut. He pushed his hips into the chair, determined to cement them. If his body rocked into Garfield, it would be over. He would want to rut.

Instead, he drew out of the tight entrance, muscles clenched in protest and Garfield cried in remorse against his neck. He fingered the tight hole with the tip of two fingers, getting the second one wet before slowly dipping both in. The muscle tightened and it took a few tries before it gave for both his fingers to go up one joint. He moved in and out, slowly, until Garfield jerked down and both fingers were buried up to the knuckle in his body. The omega gave out a pitiful, wanton cry.

Garfield arched his back, exposing the long expanse of his swan neck and his pert nipples. His stomach was lean and tight. Skin hugged taut, young muscle.

He hooked his fingers inside, stimulating a very small knot compared to what Garfield was grinding against in his pants. He helped his friend keep his motion by using the hand at his back, guiding the speed. Garfield couldn't catch his breath. A few tugs with his two fingers balled, catching at the rim before going back up made his friend ballistic. He didn't have much experience with virgins, but it was innocently cute how sensitive and responsive he was.

Robin's brain zeroed in on the teeth against his flesh. Garfield bit him! His hands tightened around the lean body that rocked against his fully clothed knot. God, he needed to sink it into the hole he was playing with. He slowed the pull of his fingers until Garfield started to wiggle back, trying to put space between them.

"Oh God!" Garfield whispered. It was pure panic.

Robin instantly uncurled his fingers before Garfield yanked back, ripping his virgin skin on the false knot. With his hand on the small of the omega's lower back, he forced him back down against him. "Stay still, Garfield. I need to catch my breath too."

He needed to come down from the high. His rut was tittering on the edge and he had to regain his composure, to stay the leader Garfield needed, because he sure as hell wasn't the alpha the younger Titan required.

"I bit you! Oh God! I bit you!" Garfield's words shot out, slurred with panic and with the daze of his orgasm.

Garfield was fighting his presentation too much. Omegas weren't supposed to fight their instincts. They gave into it. He was supposed to be compliant. This didn't bode well. If he actually knotted Garfield, there was a chance the omega would've hurt both of them, trying to unhook them, or worse, fight for his independence while being knotted. It would lead to traumatic stress.

Robin carefully wiped his slick fingers on the edge of the towel. If he licked the slick, he was sure his alpha mind would flip a stitch and he would bury more than his tongue into the virgin hole.

"Oh-My-God! Did I claim you?" Garfield asked.

Robin chuckled. "No. Sorry. It only works one way."

"Grrrrrrah!" It was a slur of sounds as Garfield yanked himself from his lap and picked up his clothes on the ground. "Just so you're aware, this means nothing. I'm not going to get knotted by some alpha in a rut coma."

The omega retreated to the bathroom and Robin took that moment to adjust his half-mast shaft. His knot throbbed at the base, and his mouth was hungry for omega flesh. He wanted all of Garfield; his scent, his touch, his taste and to give in return, his knot… his undying locality… his unwavering companionship.

The shower started again and Robin walked into the bathroom, turning on the faucet to wash his hands, aware that his hips and crotch now smelled like the omega's slick. He glanced in the mirror at the bite on his neck. The skin wasn't broken and there wouldn't be a bruise, but the flesh was red and irritated.

The moment Garfield was out of the shower and dressed, he drew him from his space and down the hall to his room.

Garfield stood in the doorway. "I... I'm okay right here."

"Garfield," he warned.

The omega entered his space, giving him peace of mind while he changed. When he glanced back, Garfield's back was too him, staring at the glass case of weapons on display. It gave him a chance to glance down that gorgeous, lean and well-worked body. Garfield stopped growing at five-foot-nine.

He was lithe, and muscular like a runner, compared to Robin's gymnast body. His hair and nipples were the same green as the skin of an avocado. His skin was a softer shade of green, like the inside of an avocado. His pointed ears slipped through the near-shoulder length strands and were pointed downward. He was insecure and shy. It made Robin smile and he had to shake it. He was getting too familiar with his best friend's body.

oOo

Cyborg's voice came over the intercom. "Robin, the Justice League are here."

"There are many of them," Star Fire followed the comment. "And there are many Teen Titans too."

Garfield went pale. There was no denying this was important. The Justice League never came to the tower. He glanced over at Robin, who was unreadable. Heat brushed his cheeks at the thought of what they'd done.

"Don't run," Robin warned.

Garfield pressed his wet palms over his uniform. It was a terribly thin barrier between the alphas.

He swallowed again, unable to meet Robin's eyes. "You keep saying that and it's making me nervous."

No resolve could prepare Garfield for the minute they walked into the main operation room that served as their kitchen and living space. There were at least thirty Justice League members present, fifteen solo agents, and a dozen other Teen Titans. The smell of testosterone was in the air and all their eyes were locked on him.

He lingered in the doorway for a moment, realizing that Robin did the same. He took a breath and entered. No one talked until he was in the room and the door was shut. This didn't bode well with him.

"Has he recently been knotted?" Wonder Woman asked.

Heat rushed to Garfield's cheeks, realizing that maybe, just maybe, they could smell what happened in his room. He glanced over at Robin, now realizing why the older teen wanted to change his clothes, but it hadn't been enough.

"No," Robin said.

Wonder Woman turned her eyes on him and he felt very small under her gaze. "It's important for you to understand that from here on, you're going to be supervised."

Garfield shrugged, trying to feign indifference. "You mean held captive like a fugitive."

"You presented as omega. Slade sent this knowledge to every person we've fought against and as you saw today, more than half of them are willing to destroy Jump City in order to get to you. Therefore, it's no longer safe for you to be out of the house," Wonder Woman said.

Here it came. The alphas were going to determine him a house pet. He jerked into motion, pointing a finger back at her. The brevity was stupid, but what the hell did he have to lose at the moment? "I'm not staying on house arrest while there are citizens who need me! I can take care of myself."

"Like you did back at the junk yard? Man, you didn't even fight. You were on the ground when we got there," Cyborg interrupted.

"This is true, friend Beast Boy. Why did you not change into something large to fight?" Star Fire added.

Heat rushed through his cheeks and down his neck. He was hot, burning hot, and thirsty. He had to relax. None of them knew he couldn't change. Of course bluffing to a room of alphas would only go so far. "It was too small of an area and I didn't want Kyd Wykkyd to get hurt."

The windows were closed, but the air conditioner was turned way down, nearly chilling the room and dissolving most scents. Yet, the heroes kept their distance from him.

"We need to decide on guardianship first," Wonder Woman said.

"Guardians are second in line to knot if the lead alpha or alphas are not present," Cyborg supplied in a low whisper. "There could be as many as four alphas voted in for you. It's called a nest."

The mention of a knot sent the vivid images he saw on the computer screen straight to his brain. Fear mingled with the twist of anticipation in his gut. He instantly hated his treacherous gut when it clinched low. He stared everyone down, daring them to raise a hand, but it wasn't intimidation that kept them from raising their hands. He understood way too well the desire to have one mistress, the city in which they protected.

His stomach cramped lower this time, painful enough to make him double over. It quickly passed, but not without the phantom ripples of an orgasm less than an hour old. When he straightened, a number of hands were in the air. He clenched his teeth. The alphas were too sure of themselves. They were too positive that he'd willingly accept the knots.

A quarter of the raised hands belonged to the Justice League. Five percent of the solo heroes raised their hands and three Teen Titan, none of which he lived with. He took a step back and a hand at his lower back stopped him. He knew the gentle, commanding pressure of those fingers pressing into the small of his back. It made him blush.

"Don't move," Robin ordered. He gauged the room as Wonder Woman jotted names down.

"And who is willing to take on the responsibility of an alpha mate to this omega?" She asked.

_This omega?_ He lost his name. He lost his rank!

The room was cautious now. A few hands that hadn't gone up before, were now sliding up, but just a few; Green Lantern, Flash, and to the rooms collective surprise, Batman. That was three of the four alphas, Cyborg had mentioned for a nest.

Robin's grip on his lower back tightened. If it weren't for the gloves on his leader's hands, he was sure he'd feel nails digging into his skin. Possession. He was aware of it like he was aware of Robin's scent and the way he clenched his jaw when he was fighting the desire to say something.

"It's settled than. We'll take care of the business with the alphas first, then list ten guardians," Wonder Woman said.

"I object," Garfield said, stepping out of Robin's touch and was grateful his leader didn't pursue. The alpha scents were starting to build pressure in his sinuses. It made everything tight in his body.

"You can't object. This isn't negotiable," Black Canary said.

"I want a change of amendment!" Garfield ordered. Short of stamping his feet, which was something he strongly willed himself not to do, he wasn't sure how else to be heard. The alphas were talking over his head like he was … an object… which was his greatest fear; to stop belonging with the Teen Titans. "You can't just throw your hands up in the air and think that's okay. I'm not a vote!"

"You can choose two of your guardians," Wonder Woman offered.

The air squeezed from his lungs. He coughed on the offer. "I vote for no one in this tower."

"Calm down, BB," Cyborg said, catching his arm.

He jerked out of his loose grip and when Robin got closer, he jerked away from him as well.

"You need to calm down, Garfield. You're sending a mixture of stressed omega and heat intense pheromones in the air. You can easily start a fight right now," Green Arrow said. He was broad, strong and solid.

Garfield swallowed hard and straightened his posture when he realized his head was starting to tilt. Price had mentioned it as presenting his neck. "You realize what you're asking me to do? I'm more cheetah than a freaking cheetah! I can't change my spots. I can't change who I am. I was raised to fight. Now you're benching me!"

"Garfield," Wonder Woman said.

"No!" He stepped back towards the door. He couldn't fight and he knew he couldn't run, but so help him, he would give someone a bloody nose before this was over.

"He's going to need omega therapy," Superman sighed, shaking his head.

"Agreed," Green Arrow commented.

His heart was speeding. "It's going to take more than talking out my problems because this," he pointed his finger at the room and took another step back. "Is whack! And I know whack. I fight villains. This is whack!"

"Don't run," Robin growled. It was hardly audible, but his leader didn't need to be loud. His point always drove home, silent and true.

He shook his head. "And stay here, listening to how you're going to all vote on who is going to…" oh god! He was practically choking on the word because it was a really, really big word, but he forced it out, "knot me? I don't want to be knot-tied to anyone. I denounce my service with the Teen Titans. I'm going solo."

Robin's eyes narrowed. He realized that was something super stupid to say when he planted himself in his leaders lap less than twenty minutes ago and brushed his nose across his skin. Okay, it was super stupid to say, but he wasn't feeling okay. He was hot, flustered and his brain stopped processing the issue. It found one solution and he'd be damned if he gave in to the only suggestion his brain offered. He wasn't submitting.

"You can't avoid it. When it hits, it's going to be consuming. You'll be incapable of making any decisions," Robin said.

"I'm not done yet," Garfield replied. He hated how his voice rose with anger.

"Done with what?" Robin countered. There was a hint of tension to his words. He was losing his patience.

"Watching cartoons! Playing video games! Staying up all night eating pizza and watching zombie movies! Fighting!" Jesus, how could none of them understand! Just a week ago, he never thought about sex beyond handholding, maybe even sharing a bowl of ice cream.

Now they were telling him he'd want a piece of anatomy that he'd never ONCE thought about in all his years as a teen! It was disturbing. It was utterly terrifying. The… the knot was so huge! The shaft! Hard, unyielding flesh that was ramrod with purple veins that lined the underside of the blood swollen flesh. Never!

Yet the thought made him shiver both inward and out. He hugged himself, determined to contain the feeling.

"This isn't going to change everything about you. You can still do these things. No one is forcing you into having a child right now, though eventually that feeling is going to be unrelenting," Green Arrow said.

"Except you aren't going to let me fight for the city. You want me to be a citizen, a bystander despite what I can do." He didn't mean for it to be as bitter as it sounded. He nearly choked on the bile of those words. His anger was all consuming. So was the insufferable heat basking his skin.

"That is non-negotiable," Wonder Woman said. "You don't understand what an omega means to society. To let you fight…"

"It's not conceivable," Green Lantern supplied.

Garfield swallowed, taking another backwards step towards the closed door. None of them would ever understand. He was born and raised a hero. He couldn't change his thoughts on it any more than they could. "I'm not going to be tucked away in a closet. The city needs me too."

"You're not thinking logically about this," Aqualad said.

"Nothing about this is logical! I'm not going to be a proverbial unicorn to your… your…" There were more words on the tip of his tongue that he wanted to throw at them, but even he wasn't ready to push the envelope, especially with Flash, Green Lantern or Batman. Instead, he jerked his hand out at them, but when no one's faces lit with understanding, he realized he didn't make it clear he didn't want to be a hole for their knots.

"Garfield," Robin said.

"No." The panic was rising. His stomach tightened and another wave of desire made his shaft hard. He was definitely not wearing the right clothes. He needed Robin's fingers. He clenched his hand over the thin fabric covering his stomach, trying to push those strange desires back inside him. They could reside in his spine like a disease for all he cared as long as this only went on privately without alphas bearing witness. "Bad dogs! All of you!"

His statement didn't lighten the air. He took another step.

"He's probably an hour away from going into heat," Wonder Woman said.

"I'll be the fourth alpha and I need to go first. I can ease him into this," Robin said, his eyes never left Garfield's. "We're going to do this slow, like in your room. You trust me. You always have."

"You slept with him," Flash said. The attention was turned on Robin.

"No, I took the edge off. You can smell him. He's never been knotted," Robin answered.

"I think we should give you a very light sedative so you don't go rogue on him," Wonder Woman offered Robin. "I have something back at the compound. We need to take him to a secure room where there are enough people to get the both of you through the first time."

It was too clinical. So utterly impersonal. And it was his body they were talking about knotting.

He massaged his fingers against his stomach as if that would stop the tightening muscles. All he wanted were the fingers Robin gave him.

"I'm not going with you. I'm not going to be your omega," he said. He could barely lift his chin to talk with them. He was so tired. His muscles felt light like feathers and their words were the wind that would take him up…up…up… to that haze that was starting to such his brain down.

"He's panicking. He'll need a light sedative too, until the heat takes him under," Superman said.

Oh God! "I don't want to be sedated."

"It will wear off and once you're in your heat, you won't panic like this. You'll be monitored the whole time, your vitals will be taken, if you get dehydrated, we can start you on iv tap."

The air rippled around him. There wasn't a moment to think before lithe arms wrapped around his body and he was yanked back. Images surfaced for split seconds, the hot breeze of the sun against his face, then blackness, before he found himself in the middle of a busy street with oncoming traffic. The power pulled him back in and the intervals between were snaps of blackness with seconds broken by a new environment. When the hands finally released him, he spun to meet Kyd Wykkyd. Kyd looked tousled, distraught and weary.

"Oh-My-God, man, you look horrible," Garfield said, then glanced around the warehouse. He knew the smell of this district. Outside the warehouse with filtered light coming through the broken windows, the wind carried the smell of garage. "Thanks."

He wasn't sure if he was rescued or condemned. The heat was already unpleasant. He looked back at Kyd Wykkyd who immediately collapsed on the ground. He was on all fours, but made a sign in the air.

"Yeah," Garfield circled the very small warehouse. The garage over compensated for the scent of his skin and the overwhelming scent of Kyd Wykkyd. "I think we're even, but we can't stay here."

Kyd looked up at him. Sweat clung to his brow. Garfield kneeled down and his stomach clenched. His brain screamed for the combined alpha scents, but he wasn't completely lost. But damn, they smelled so good. All of them, the heroes he always wanted to grow up and fight alongside. They were strong, their morals sound and God, he wanted to see the way that strength could move his body.

"We have one more stop and then you're going to have to tell me what we can do to fix this," he said, pointing to his lower region. It was too embarrassing to talk about. Watching Kyd made it even worse. He didn't want to be a panting mess, barely keeping it together.

Kyd didn't look at him. He remained frozen, staring hard at the stone ground before finally giving a very curt nod. Garfield swallowed his relief and gave Kyd the address they needed to go.


	6. Chapter 6

The air rippled and the lithe hands around his stomach let him go. It wasn't a room he recognized, but the smell of Chinese food was surprisingly comforting. Price stared up at him from the kitchen table with a slack jaw. A laptop sat in front of him and large headphones cupped his ears. He pulled the headphones off and let them clatter to the floor as he stumbled from his chair.

"Garfield. You can't be here."

Garfield took a step towards the table. "You ruined my status with the Titans. You got me mauled! Give me one reason why I shouldn't throw you out the window."

Price held onto the edge of the table not looking as frightened as Garfield had hoped. "Because I'm going to tell you something that is going to help you, but you need to leave immediately. My place is rigged."

Garfield's shoulders tightened. Were the cameras there the entire time they indulged in the fake friendship? He wasn't sure what hurt more. He really wanted a friend outside of the tower. He needed someone to like him without knowing the sordid details of his not so charming life before the Titans. "You really screwed everything up for me. That group at the Tower were the only friends I had."

_And you changed those dynamics!_ Not that they weren't changing already. The team drifted in the last five months. The only constant was that occasionally Cyborg would meet him for a game of Space Monkeys.

"I know, but Slade…" Price cut himself off and shook his head. He kept his hands in the air as he slowly walked around the table and indicated there was something in his pocket. Garfield held his stance as Price grabbed a card and extended it between his two fingers. "I wanted to give this to you, but you left too quickly."

"What is it?" He asked, hesitant. There was only an email on the business card.

"Take it and go," Price said. "You better get your friend somewhere safe. He is going to bring every alpha within a two mile radius to this restaurant."

Garfield shifted, uncomfortably aware of the smell Kyd was giving off. It smelled faintly like cookie dough. "I don't think he can help it."

Kyd glared at his comment and he shrugged. It wasn't like he had training on this. He was learning as his own heat proceeded. He smelled different too, like vanilla sugar and that _wasn't_ his body wash.

"It's the heat. In another couple hours, he's going to need an alpha to knot him or he's going to hurt," Price said. "Hormone spikes have killed omegas in the past."

Garfield shivered low in his spine where inner heat met with the tingling sensation in his muscles. "I hate that word."

"You need to keep moving or Slade is going to follow the nanobots back to you," Price said.

Kyd gripped Garfield's arm and he glanced over at him, only to find that Kyd's attention was on Price. His lips curled back in a silent snarl. That's when it hit him. Price said nanobots.

"That's why I can't change." The blood rushed from Garfield's head. It stole his ability to breath. He couldn't change! He couldn't defend himself!

He started itching at his exposed arms and it was Kyd who grabbed his other wrist. There was no strength there, so he pulled away and itched harder.

"Stop giving me that look. I know what you're thinking. I can't let them stay in me," he argued with Kyd… though Kyd didn't argue back. He fixed him with a stern look before glancing at the welts from the long scratches.

Before Garfield could answer, Kyd's arms wrapped around him. They moved quickly through space until they were back at the warehouse.

oOo

Robin leaned over the computer and plugged in all the information he gathered from Garfield's computer search engines. Less than two weeks ago, when everything started changing with their green team mate, Garfield looked up the word alpha. There was no similar search until that one moment. Before that, three months ago, he'd been on a forum where he met someone and started talking.

The conversations were always lighthearted. There was constant mention of video games and food. He chuckled. Garfield never mentioned his team, or that he was a Teen Titan. He didn't bring up his family or his past, though one question was mildly personal; "are you seeing anyone?" The answer that followed was "too busy to date."

"You doing okay, man?" Cyborg asked. He stood tentatively in the doorway.

"Garfield never would've reacted like this if I told him sooner. I should've made time for the omega classes," he admitted. A trained omega would've behaved better. A trained omega never would've ran.

A trained omega would never fight like an alpha… There were reasons to keep Garfield in the dark. If he had known how badly the smaller titan would've taken it, he would've thought this process over.

"Hey, the kid wanted a few more years with video games and all night movies. I understand. I just can't believe Kyd Wykkyd crashed the party. I thought my security system was better put together than that," Cyborg said.

Robin shut the computer off. The address for the Chinese restaurant was firmly in his head. "The new Justice League wants my decision at the end of the week."

"It looks like you've already made the decision," Cyborg said.

"Yes," he answered.

Cyborg nodded and took a step back into the hall. "We'll miss you man, but I understand. Are you going to take Beast Boy with you when you join them?"

Robin's breath hitched. He hoped that was an option. He had to find his best friend before someone else did. "Yes."

_And never let him go._ The alpha inside him was dark. Possessive. How would it share with the other alphas that offered their protection to his smaller team mate?

"You know Beast Boy. He's got mad skills when it comes to survival. He's probably already at Cancun enjoying a smoothie on the beach," Cyborg offered.

Robin growled. His omega was still young. He still liked to play games. He would have to play this by Garfield's terms if he was going to win the omega's total devotion.

He tightened his hands as he walked in on the empty garage and over to his motorcycle. Seconds later, at full speed, he blasted through the city streets. Smells conjoined, forming alien scents as the world rushed past him too quick to catalogue. One thought circled his mind. He needed to save Garfield from himself.

oOo

Garfield slammed his fist into the brick wall. Pain shot through his knuckles and into his wrist, stealing his breath. He shook it out, but the pain did little more than clear his head of the impeding fog. It was there at the edges of his brain, ready to cloud over the second it got a chance. His stomach cramped and he gritted his teeth, determined to stay on his feet.

He was ready to ball up in the corner. It wasn't about to behave the way the League thought he'd behave. He wasn't going to prove them right. "Damn them! They aren't right. I don't need protecting. I'm not like that."

A muffled cry drew his attention. Kyd Wykydd was curled in on himself and rocking. His hair was damp and clung to his face. His eyes were clouded over. His pupils were fully blown.

"How do I stop this?" He groaned. Kyd made a fist and shoved it in the air. Garfield shook his head. "No way! I saw how big they are. I'm not…" he swallowed. "I'm not ready for it."

Was it too much to ask for it to start off slow? Hold hands first, kiss second and stay up all night listening to music, drink too many sodas and lay with their shoulders touching and sharing a pillow? Okay, that was starting to sound like every pre-teen love song that came on the radio.

Kyd shook his head and pointed to himself than made a gesturer in the air. Garfield frowned, getting the hint. Kyd already knotted. Garfield immediately blushed. Kyd didn't look different… He was more docile, though he never really remembered Kyd as a fighter. He was more like a maneuver in the H.I.V.E. 5 schemes. He was the tool in the plots; the others served as the weapons.

He shook his head. There were signs for Kyd that he never noticed. Had there been signs in him? Did the League always know? He blushed again. Of course they did. He was the only one surprised when this happened.

He swallowed hard, realizing he already needed water. He was sweating and panting and needed to jump in the water. If he could turn into a fish, he would. "I can't protect you. You need to get out of here. Go wherever you go that's been safe. Slade could come through that door at any minute."

Kyd shook his head.

"It's not up for discussion. You have to go and you know that. You can't help me if you're caught," Garfield said.

Kyd looked at him dubious, but finally consented with a weak nod. Within a blink, he was gone. Garfield paced the room. What was he going to do? Sit and wait for Slade? He didn't have any weapons and he didn't trust his hand to hand combat in this state. He'd probably be on his hands in another hour.

The heat was suffocating and it radiated off his flesh. His muscles went weak. He felt sloppy and unbalanced. He fisted his hands again and pressed his back into the wall when his stomach rolled. The pain was uncomfortably close to pleasure. Remembering Robin's touch did nothing to sooth it. In fact, he was almost hungry for it. Damn.

oOo

Robin walked the old hallway. There were a handful of doors, but only one had the smell of distressed omega. He shoved against the flimsy wood and the latch gave. The door swung open, hitting the wall and bouncing back. At the sound, a young man came around the corner with a carving knife at his side. He wasn't a fighter. Robin could easily disarm him, but the young man didn't approach.

"I didn't have a choice," the younger man announced. He dropped the blade and raised his hands. "I was forced to do it."

"Where is he?" Robin growled.

The young man shrugged. "I don't know, man. I don't want any more trouble."

"He was just here." Robin moved into the room and the young man took a step back, mortified.

"I swear. I told him to go. Slade is going to track the nanobots in his system."

Nanobots? That explained a few things. He shook the thought, knowing all too well how much trouble Garfield was in. The last time they had an issue with nanobots, it'd been with Cyborg and the damage was extensive. Gizmo had some explaining.

oOo

The tight cramps that rested at the soul of his pelvis pulled Garfield against the wall. Liquid slid between his crack, hot like blood. Another cramp and he crumpled in on himself. It took less than a second for him to kick off his shoes and socks. His clothes were too tight. He pulled the nylon shirt over his head and tossed it then stopped when his hands caught the hem of his pants.

He swallowed.

He wasn't alone.

"Don't stop on my account." The sultry voice spoke from the dark recesses of the building.

Garfield pushed his back into the wall, determined to get back on his feet. The porous wall bit into his back with all its rough edges. He knew smells from his basic animalistic experience, so he immediately recognized this one. But there was something new to the scent and he recognized it on a far more basic level. Alpha.

He growled. "Keep your distance or I'll pound you into the cement."

Lust laughed as he pulled from the shadows. "Seriously, Beast Boy, you can't stay on your feet."

Lust, one of Trigon's demonic sons, grinned at him, all white teeth, dark hair and eyes that glowed unnaturally red. Garfield stood a little straighter. His heart slammed in his chest. He refused to cover himself, even when Lust's eyes fell to his chest and then lower. The demonic alpha luridly licked his lips, making Garfield's body heat up.

"I heard you were going into heat, but I had to see it for myself." Lust crossed the room in fragmented jerks that Garfield's eyes couldn't follow.

He really, really hated demons. The last time he ran into Trigon's sons, it almost cost him and the world their lives. Before he could move, fingers wrapped around his throat. Lust's thumb dug into his trachea making him choke.

"Listen to me, little omega. You will learn your place, with my knot down your throat or up your hole. You are going to enjoy this and beg for more."

Garfield clawed at the wrist holding him against the wall, but Lust leaned forward, drenching his senses in alpha hormones. With every shallow breath, he sucked the scent in. It served to pull the haze back through his head. The ache between his thighs brought another wave of wetness.

"I'd rather die," Garfield grunted.

"You won't say that for long," Lust said. His eyelids went half mast as he leaned in and scent Garfield. "I'm not fond of patience. Let's speed this up."

Teeth dug into his flesh. Garfield's pulse jumped into his throat and he screamed. The ache went straight through him and he grasped Lust's arms. He meant to push him away; instead, he was pulling him closer. No! This was a nightmare.

He didn't want the knot… but…but… He smelled so good. "Alpha."

Lust chuckled, pushing him to his knees. He snapped out of it the moment the alpha started disrobing. He was lean, much leaner than Robin, but not as solid. Garfield leaned back and with as much force he could muster, he slammed the heel of his shoes into Lust's kneecap. There was a crack.

"You little-" Lust went to grab at him and he dodged, rolling away from his grasp.

Garfield tried to stand and immediately tripped over his own feet. He pulled himself up again. The cement floor was rough on the bottom of his feet. The door was too far. He wasn't going to make it. Every step was excruciating. He was on his knees in seconds. The door was growing farther away.

"You think parlor tricks will save you?" Lust asked. The demonic alpha floated on the wind. The bone in his bent kneecap snapped back into place.

Garfield swallowed hard, trying to crab crawl away from him. Glass from the shattered window dug into his hand. The pain was sharp. It was exactly what he needed, but before he could act, Lust had him by his hair, forcing his neck back.

"I was going to make this simple for you. I was going to give you a knot to ride, but you pissed me off," he said. "You're going to have my babies, but not before I torture you first."

Garfield gasped through his clenched teeth, determined not to whine. Lusts lewd words made his brain mew with want. Yes, babies…

No! No babies! Babies meant housebound. Babies meant motherhood. Babies meant mini crossbred-demons.

"I'm not going to submit to you," he said.

Lust jerked his hair back, forcing a stifled scream from Garfield's lips. He forced himself to go lax in the hold; least the demon dislodged his head from his neck.

"You are going to be my omega. I'll claim you over and over until every square inch of your flesh is broken and bloody," Lust whispered along his neck.

His lips ghosted over Garfield's hot flesh and Garfield subconsciously opened his thighs. Hands brushed over his nylon pants, up into the heat and wetness leaking through the fabric. The touch was too soft to bring comfort as it glided up over the fabric covering his tight balls and hard shaft. Garfield moaned and the sound was strangled and foreign to his ears.

Lust brought his fingers to his nose and sniffed. "Mmm. It's been a long time since I smelled an omega in heat."

Garfield turned away, embarrassed, but couldn't ignore what he heard. "You've seen another omega?"

Lust chuckled. "Yes. She was more compliant than you. I'm going to enjoy breaking you. When I'm done, you'll be nothing more than a service horse waiting for the slap of its owner's leather whip."

God, that shouldn't have turned him on. He squeezed his thighs together, which earned him another wave of wet heat. Lust let his head go and pushed him back against the floor.

"There is time for obedience training." Lust took a step back.

Garfield shifted on the ground, breathing so hard that it made his throat raw. He rolled over and got on his hands and knees, meaning to stand up. Instead, he pressed back on the balls of his hands and with his cheek pressed against the gritty cement floor, he raised his thighs in the air towards Lust.

This was new. He immediately forced his hips down. A hand dragged him from the floor and they stepped into a space that should've been foreign, but it wasn't. The sky was so red that it looked like fire. The air was breathable, but it burned his throat and nostrils with every breath.

Lust made short work of Garfield's clothes and his protests were easily thwarted. He growled when Lust let him go. The air was hot, but not hot enough. He needed the heat of another body pressed into his. He needed the sweltering heat that came when there was no air sliding through their compressed flesh.

But it's not Robin… Why Robin? He shook the thought. He knew why it was Robin. It'd always been Robin, but not at the same level he now needed. In the past, he wanted Robin's approval. He wanted Robin's protection, loyalty, leadership, and direction. And now he wanted Robin's dominance. Damn it!

Lust grabbed his arm and flipped him hard against the rock ground. The smell of sulfur made his stomach turn. Before he could fight, fingers shoved into the empty, throbbing space between his thighs. His upper body lunged downward, thrusting his lower half up into the fingers. His heart pounded against his chest as the fingers non-to-gently slammed into his body. They were too quick and too hard. He spread his thighs and arched his back to help navigate the movement, but it didn't help.

"You're hurting me," Garfield growled.

"You think this is pain, wait until you're fully in heat," Lust said. "Here. I'll help you let go."

Lust's fingers tightened in Garfield's hair, forcing him upright. He reached back to dislodge himself from Lust, but Lust wrapped his free arm around his chest, tightly trapping him. Teeth dug into his shoulder. He screamed, tasting the adrenaline sour at the back of his throat.

Every fiber of his being flared with heat. He pressed into the body against his, momentarily throwing Lust off balance. He took that moment to rub his wetness against the outline of Lust's shaft. It was monstrous the way it fought the confines of the suit Lust wore. Garfield dug his nails into the clothing, willing his hands to shift into something with sharp nails. He needed to shred the clothes.

Fingers tangled in his hair, stopping his movement. A tongue lapped tentatively at the bite. He could tell, the way his body was both repulsed and turned on wanting more, wanting to taste the adrenaline that came from the shock, that the bite was bad.

"You little cock slut," Lust said. "All omegas are, but you want it more. Are you starved for touch, Garfield? Have you been denied?"

Garfield. That was his name? It sounded foreign now. He wanted to respond to the statement, but the words were already lost in the sea of dribble. He couldn't swallow. He couldn't make his tongue work in his mouth. Lust tightened his hold and Garfield cried.

"It's the omegas that fight the hardest who need it the worst. You're going to be a good pet, a baby maker. Let's get you pregnant with pups, kid."

Pups? No, he didn't have time for a family, yet he was nodding his head. He was moving into the body that fit against his. He growled impatiently when Lust took too long lining himself up. The bulbous tip of his cock pressed against Garfield's throbbing hole, drawing a whine from his lips. It was too big. Too solid. It would never fit.

"Mmm, so tight. You a fucking virgin?" Lust asked.

Garfield couldn't answer. He bit his fingers to keep from screaming again. Lust slammed his rod iron shaft straight through him, breeching the muscles and pulling a scream from his lips. His mind went hazy. He tried to pull breath into his lungs. Lust didn't give him a chance to adjust before he started moving.

This was wrong. He needed to get away. Lust pulled out and slammed back into him. The release of endorphins immediately started pulling him back under. His fists unclenched. His fingers spread against the flooring to balance his weight while Lust took up a strong, endless pounding rhythm.

The pain started to surrender. A more pleasant building pressure tightened behind his sac. The roots of growing gratification stretched deep into his gut…

Then he felt it.

Another, much larger bulbous mass pressed against the outer rim of his muscle.

"Oh God!" He moaned. His nails dug into the ground sending pinpricks of pain through his fingers.

"You want it heat whore? You want this? Beg."

No! No! If Lust knotted, he'd be stuck to him. His semen would fill his stomach. Could he reproduce? God! He knew nothing about this.

His mind screamed, but his body answered by pressing back into the hands that cradled his hips. The knot caught on his rim, sending waves of pleasure and pain skirting deliciously over his skin like lightening barely touching the outstretched hemisphere of earth.

He rode the pain, aware that Lust tugged on their bind, enough to aid his organism… was it his third or fourth? Garfield tried to focus, but his mind was blissed out. On a higher level of awareness, he knew he was in trouble.

oOo

Robin stood in front of the Justice League. The younger members were sitting at the massive glass meeting table. He tried to adjust the tension in his shoulders.

"I accept the new duties and will be joining the team immediately," he said.

"Will you be able to focus?" Wonder Woman asked.

Robin frowned. "Of course. My duties are to the city."

"And finding Garfield," she added.

He was careful not to look at the others. He couldn't forget that of all people, Batman laid claim on Garfield too. The competitive part of him was determined to prove that Garfield didn't need a nest, or guardians. He would take care of the green omega. His jaw tightened, because everyone, including him, was aware that Garfield was probably in heat and lost in the city.

"I will perform my duties," he repeated. And he would be just as vigilant in finding his ex-teammate and best friend.

Wonder Woman nodded. "Welcome to the Young Justice League."


	7. Chapter 7

Garfield rolled onto his stomach when the pressure in his gut made him retch. It was nothing but bile and thicker, whiter material that he could taste. He went to put his finger down his throat to vomit the rest, but his hand was covered in the stench of semen. That was one hell of a wakeup.

Everything ached at the surface of his skin. It was more than an ache between his thighs. His skin was so raw, he couldn't move without feeling the muscle in his now, extremely limp shaft, throb. He remained where he was on all fours with his limbs locked, trying to breathe through the pins and needles in his gut. Nothing was broken, but plenty was bruised. The skin was broken around the bite marks along his arms, down his legs, over his gut and chest where he could see without a mirror. He was also aware how badly he stunk. It made him sick again, but there was nothing else to vomit.

If he gave his arms the slightest room to bend, he'd be kissing the cement. There was no strength in his body. He took another slow breath, in and out. The air expanded his lungs. There was sharpness. He had no doubt that his ribs were bruised under his flesh.

Another breath in and out before he forced himself to stand, combating the lightheadedness. Water and food were an urgent need. A hot bath could wait, but not long. Clothes were also needed. He hugged himself, hating how exposed he felt, like someone took more than his clothes. They took his confidence and stole his self worth… and any enjoyment if having a physical relationship with someone.

Using the wall for leverage, he took an unsteady step. The muscle in the back of his legs screamed in protest. His thighs were still covered in dry slick, blood and sperm, making him both raw and explaining why the first step sent pain straight through his prostate and lower spine.

He took another small step and couldn't place his foot fully on the ground before the severe nerve twisting pain had him back on the ground. Mother Earth help him if Lust ripped something vital. It'd be a long time before he let someone down there, including a medic.

"You're awake." Lust strolled into the mass warehouse space with a signature coffee in hand. Garfield noted that it was only one drink and the warehouse didn't house any extra bottles of water. There was one couch and one twin bed, both spaced strangely close as if there was limited room.

Garfield pulled back so he could keep Lust in his direct vision. "You'll have to try harder if you want to put me in a coma."

Lust barked with laugher. "No, Garfield. I find no sport in playing with something comatose. I'm aware you have no omega training. I will enjoy this like a cowboy with a wild stallion. It's about breaking in your tough hide while breaking in a new whip."

Garfield fought the shiver from physically showing, but didn't win. Lust smirked at his outward display. Garfield quickly reined it back under the surface. He wouldn't give the demonic alpha the pleasure of knowing he was afraid. The way Lust's eyes shifted from red to orange-red, said he found this amusing.

"You think I haven't dealt with someone wanting to be my master?" The word was chilly and bitter like the metal bite that was placed in his mouth the last time someone tried to conquer him.

"A master is born, not created. Willfulness is born, not created. A master takes that willfulness and shapes it into the perfect omega."

Garfield kept a careful watch on him. "You're going to be disappointed, dude. I'm not a wild stallion, but I'll still kick."

"Kneel before your alpha," Lust ordered.

Garfield laughed hard. The movement hurt his ribs and his throat. The bite marks hurt too and he knew which mouth caused the pain. "No way. I'm not kneeling for you."

"You try my patience, omega child. I don't ask twice."

Hot electric pulses closed around his body, tightening until they became a vice constricting his ability to breath. The muscle in his legs went lax from his lack of strength, forcing him to the ground. Being dehydrated, he couldn't sweat to cool his body.

It let up when he was bowed on all fours with his head hung between his arms. He took deep breathes, ignoring the horrible sting in his lungs. Tears stung his eyes and his face where the skin was broken. Great… His face was more than bruised.

"Now that you're kneeling, let's talk about the etiquette of an omega."

Garfield didn't dare look up. He fought the desire to comment, but his pride refused to relent. "Is it going to be a long list?"

"Trainers have the ability to break the spirit of any animal they are training." He made a show of sniffing the air. "And I think the Titans would agree that your strongest asset to the team is your animal personality."

"Fuck you, asshole," Garfield growled. He was getting pissed. And Gaia save him, but he was starting to truly feel vulnerable for the first time since his childhood.

He was airborne and speeding through the short distance to the wall. His body slammed into the brick twice for good measure before he was dropped.

"I am your lord and master, omega. You will refer to me as both. If you refuse to use your mouth the way you are instructed, we can find another use for your mouth altogether." Lust listed more rules, but the buzzing in Garfield's ear drums made it difficult to focus on those words.

With the way his jaw ached, he knew Lust already found a way to use his mouth. The time lapse was horrible. He was sticky, and he ached, and squeezing his eyes shut to force a memory only served to make his head swim.

"This is how it's going to work, omega. I control everything you need; water, food, protection, relief from your heats. You behave and I give you what you need. You don't behave, and I'll give other people what they want."

Garfield clenched his jaw to keep from speaking. Anger wasn't the sum of the emotion he was feeling. Outrage was the correct word. He kept his head bowed, because something in the root of his inner madness said that he should do this for now. He had to survive. He forced his hands to unclench. His fingers were disgusting to look at, just another reminder that something happened and that his brain couldn't connect.

"Mmm… So the omega can be taught." At the silence, Lust made another sound of pleasure. "You will wait in that position until I get back."

That's what Lust wanted… But it wasn't what he'd get.

oOo

Slade frowned at the computer. Beast Boy's locator went off line a week ago. The nanobots were small and there were many of them in his system. They shouldn't have bleeped right off the screen. As far as his worldly mapped showed, the omega wasn't even on their planet. It wasn't impossible. Star Fire proved that point, but would the Titans be smart enough to hide him off the planet?

The H.I.V.E. members stood in front of him. Gizmo wasn't much taller than he'd been as a child. "They aren't malfunctioning. I made them myself. They work fine."

"Maybe he isn't here." Billy Numerous suggested.

Slade leaned towards the screen, willing the red dots to pulse like a very young, healthy heart beat. It didn't. Garfield wasn't dead though. The kid was too resourceful to be dead. He growled again. He wasn't going to miss out on his plans because the Justice League found a way to hide the brat.

"I want him found, now, Gismo," he ordered.

oOo

Garfield fought the desire to bite the fingers that force fed him such small portions of food, he was stuck tasting fingers in his constantly dry mouth. Lust wouldn't give him enough food or water.

He stunk and it made him gag. Lust didn't offer him a chance to shower. He lived in the filthy sweat, dirt and dried semen from his first heat. Bruises were still dark against his skin, darker than the dirt he was picking up from sitting and laying on the warehouse floor.

Exhaustion was an issue too. He couldn't be clever when he was constantly fatigued. He only submitted when fighting wore him down. Lately, it'd been getting worse. Every action brought an equally negative reaction that came with twice the force he was unable to block. He rolled his tongue over his teeth to make sure they were all there. His upper lip was already swelling.

Lust sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You're starting to make this tedious, omega. It's time to adjust the training."

The room went black and Garfield strained to hear the smallest sound. The loneliness was instant. The fact that he knew he was alone without his animal sensitivity was frightful. He hated when Lust left him alone in the dark. The world was too silent.

"You're stronger than this," he growled into the quiet. His voice comforted the part of his brain that buzzed from the silence. He brought a hand to his throat. There was no physical collar, but the feel of Lust's hands around his neck had a phantom hold. He shook the thought. He didn't belong to Lust. He wouldn't let his mind start to think he did.

He swallowed his nerves and forced himself to stand. The pins and needles tingling through his legs drew him back to the ground. He couldn't sit too long and wait so he pressed his palms over his legs encouraging the blood to flow into the muscle.

Tedious, Lust said. He had no idea it was on both ends of the spectrum. Heaven help him. If he didn't get out soon, he wasn't sure how much more he could take. The omega lessons were minor nuisances meant to destroy the ego he gained from his service with the Titans. That ego was firmly in place, but the walls were cracking.

He took a deep breath and focused on getting his heart to slow its rapid beating. Another breath and he felt steadier. This time when he stood, he remained on his feet. The warehouse was empty, but he walked with his hands out so he wouldn't run into the posts.

They were small, endless steps and the blackness stretched on all ends. Small breathes. Small steps. He had to focus. He had to keep going. There was a door somewhere along the wall.

He stepped down onto the sharp end of glass. It slid into his foot, stealing his breath. He tried to back up and turn around. The movement cut the bottom of his second foot. There was glass on the floor.

Flood lights snapped on and he threw his arm over his eyes to protect them. His eyes burned as he forced himself to adjust. He couldn't allow himself to be blinded.

"Where were you heading, omega? You didn't have permission to move," Lust said.

The alpha came out of nowhere. He stood prime and comfortable by the couch on the other side of the warehouse. Garfield licked his lips and bent down to pull the glass from his foot now that he could see. There was blood on the floor, but the glass was small and he'd heal.

"You are trying my patience, child. We're going to change the training lessons. Now crawl to your alpha."

Garfield licked his lips and weighed his options. In the week he'd been conscious, he was a quick steady. Lust wasn't someone to mess with.

"Garfield."

Garfield lowered himself to the ground. His throat ached and the bottom of his feet throbbed with the movement. He kept his movement slow and controlled. He was aware of his naked body; how his muscle moved under his skin and the air that brushed over his naked rump. His flaccid cock, though much smaller than the alpha's, was already trying to pull up deeper into his body. He wanted to be something smaller, harder to catch.

Or bigger, so he could send Lust into the wall.

The alpha kept his mouth shut until Garfield was in front of him. He leaned back on his legs like the alpha taught him. He folded his hands behind his back and kept his chin lifted. Lust reached down and patted his head.

"You've fought me every step of the way." His fingers tightened in Garfield's hair, forcing his head back. He leaned forward and took a sniff of the air. "You need to be clean for the trainer."

Garfield jerked back and Lust's grip tightened, pulling his hair. "I'm not going to be your omega."

"You already are. We've been imprinting."

Garfield searched his memory on what imprinting meant. The only reference he had was in response to baby birds. He really hoped that didn't mean something physiologically vital to his omega status.

oOo

Nightwing stood on the edge of the building, watching the city. He had a few informants on the street, but the questions he took to them left three betas outwardly uncomfortable. In turn, that made him wonder what the betas on the street knew that the alphas didn't.

"I will find you, Garfield," he whispered.

The sweet smell of rain was tarnished by the city below. Car lights reflected off the watery haze in the sky. The lights below shimmered much like the stars above. He took in another breath and stayed watchful over the night.

Two weeks since Garfield went on the lamb and still no witnesses. He couldn't stay hidden from the world without help. And if there was an underground ring for omegas, he'd find it.

"Nightwing?" Aqualad's voice cut through the speaker in his ear.

"The van we're tailing didn't come this way," he responded.

"Ten-four. Let's meet at the docks," Aqualad said.

Nightwing stared hard at the city below. Cars honked and voices carried. Nothing below brought him any closer to his omega.


	8. Chapter 8

Garfield immediately stood when Lust shoved him to the ground. His action earned him a hard slap upside the head as he was yanked back to a sitting position. He glared at the figure in front of him, determined to let the alpha know that he had the spirit of a bull. He would fight him every step of this rodeo. He'd knock everyone down and then he'd stomp on them until their bodies were broken. Ironically, he was aware the alphas planned to do the same to him.

The door opened and it took a moment to register who entered the room. Garfield's heart jumped into his throat. Fear turned his blood cold before his brain snapped back into its original mode. He had to hold his ground, but the very thought of being touched by Lobo made his empty stomach turn.

"I see what you mean," Lobo said, answering a conversation that Garfield hadn't been privy too. The alien bounty hunter stood tall, with gray skin over taut muscle. His hair fell in thick black strands over his daunting, broad shoulders. The man was built like a tree stump.

Garfield swallowed hard. There would be nothing gentle about these omega lessons and without his ability; he was a sore match for Lobo's strength. The bounty hunter easily outweighed him and those fists could easily bend metal bars.

"The kid refuses to learn his omega ways," Lust said.

Lobo's eyes narrowed. They were the same, red as Lust, yet there was no relation between the two. Garfield immediately adjusted his gaze straight ahead, deciding now was a good time to not instigate the situation. This was going to hurt. The sudden coldness in his lower body was dangerously close to making him pee himself.

"Cute collar, boy," Lobo said, moving closer to him.

The alien hunter smelled metallic like the hook he usually carried. Garfield held his breath when the hunter moved to stand in front of him. A large hand touched his head and the weight of it knocked him off balance. Before he realized what he was doing, he was on all fours. He didn't try to right himself, not with the hand still resting on his head. It would be too easy for Lobo to snap his neck.

"I hope you like eating semen kid," Lobo said.

Garfield swallowed again. A smart comment rested precariously on the edge of his tongue. This wasn't the time to be smart. Both alphas overpowered the space with male testosterone. It made him realize that for the last couple of years, during hand-to-hand combat with Robin, he'd smelled male testosterone radiating off their leader; except it smelled good on Robin, like home and security.

It smelled good on a few heroes, like the time he broke his leg and the team took him to Batman's estate so that Alfred could set the bones. Bruce met them on the helicopter landing and carried him, despite his protest, inside. Bruce smelled like polished metal and sandalwood soap; like security and safety. It was so utterly nice, much like Robin's scent, that he pressed his nose into Bruce's neck before he realized his action. Embarrassed, he went back to protesting, not at all mindless to the muscle that immediately constricted around his body to keep him from jolting the badly bandaged leg. At the time, he hoped no one noticed…

But maybe Bruce did notice and that was why he opted to be his alpha back at the tower. A small part of him quivered in anticipation to that touch. It was the part of him, the omega part of him that he needed to be stronger than. He wasn't going to give up being a hero, not for the Justice League and not for the current company he now resided in.

He swallowed the thought, like he swallowed the desire to vomit at Lobo's statement. His throat finally felt normal again and his thirst was momentarily sated when he showered. He had no desire to ruin it with salty semen. Lust tasted wrong, or maybe it was the aftermath of the degradation.

"I want full control in order to teach him the beauty of his gender," Lobo said. The man brought his bulky fingers along Garfield's jaw line as he gripped tightly and forced a meaty finger into his mouth. The taste of metal and gritty sweat consumed his mouth.

Garfield forced his jaw to stay lax to keep from snapping. He couldn't morph his genetics into an animal at the moment, but that didn't mean the animalistic tendencies weren't still there. It'd been a long time since he'd been scared. A very long time since someone made him feel small and helpless. Waiting on all fours under Lobo brought back those unwanted feelings.

"Yes. But he isn't your omega and you'll do well to remember that," Lust said.

Lobo's laugh was husky and low. It was as alien in sound as the creature was to look at. "You came to me for a reason Lust. I'll help you tame him, but don't forget that his reshaping was at my hands. I can't stop from imprinting on the omega during this training."

"I will be there too, Lobo," Lust reminded.

Again Lobo laughed.

oOo

"Omega," Lobo whispered, rubbing rough fingers through his hair as Garfield sat between his thighs, level with his crotch. The alien's hands were rough, bruising him even when he was obeying the man he called alpha, but not master. Lobo and Lust argued this point many times. The alien took one warm hand away to pull his zipper down.

"You are behaving much better now," Lobo said, as Garfield leaned in, taking the mushroom tip with only his mouth. His hands were bound tightly behind his back. It'd taken less than a couple months to realize that he'd suffer serious injuries, even the loss of body parts if he didn't play by some of Lobo's rules. His broken ankle was proof and the bruises on his backside were sharp reminders as well.

Luckily for him, he'd always been good at taking orders. Orders sometimes hurt. They hurt the body when he had to change too many times during battle, or couldn't hold one body type due to injury. Injuries didn't hurt only one part of him. Sometimes it left his mind defeated, but Robin always made it better, with a kind shoulder tap and a few encouraging words to let him know he did well.

Lobo's mushroom tip had a strange taste and it wasn't his pre-come. It was something about his skin, or his sweat. It was sour and gritty, like he went to work and didn't bother cleaning. Never seeing either Lobo or Lust shower, he was sure he wasn't off the mark. He carefully schooled his face, not wanting another bruise as Lobo let him draw himself as far as he could go on the massive member. The alien's large hand slid behind his head, guiding him farther down, choking him as the tip hit his gag reflex.

Lobo laughed. "Such a delicate little omega, aren't you. Such an omega slut. Are you ready to see the world again, little omega?"

Garfield choked again at the words and Lobo laughed harder, stabbing the back of his throat with the mushroom tip. His entire cock stretched his mouth painfully when Lobo made movements like that. He held still as tears slid down his face. He couldn't catch them. He hated crying.

"That's right, little omega. It's time to share your omega puss with other alphas," Lobo said.

He started listing a few names, all of which Garfield knew and hated. Worst would be the animals. He'd considered himself human, a long time ago, but years of being able to alter his genetics made him feel more animal, made him reason with an animal mentality, but never had he thought about sharing his sexuality with one… Definitely not Gorilla Grodd.

He mentally whined at the mention of the Gorilla that could easily break him. They could all easily break him. As a human, his bones almost felt hollow, as if the bird shapes he took on so frequently altered the solidness. He closed his eyes against the thought. He was human. He was solid like a human. Robin taught him to fight as a human, had demanded he learn how to use weapons, and his body in battle. Robin insisted that he never knew when it would be important. Jesus, his alpha was right…

No, not his alpha. He didn't claim any of them as his alpha.

"You won't be in heat, child," Lust said from behind him. The demon alpha spread Garfield's thighs unceremoniously, with no care that he had a broken ankle. If a massive cock wasn't shoved down his throat, he'd have screamed. "Can't risk them getting carried away and you're too acceptable to alpha domination."

Today, the alphas smelled different. They smelled surprisingly good. His overheated body was starting to ache for an equally massive cock in his hole. He wanted to be stretched and impaled until the knot locked them. He shook the thought. He knew what this meant. His heat was coming.

Lobo pushed his thick fingers through Garfield's hair and he felt himself lean into the touch. His eyes started to drift shut and he quickly snapped them open, but he was already drifting again, into the large hands that were now guiding his movements over the impeccably hard, veined organ in his mouth. His tongue glided the underside. Lobo brought him closer and closer to the flesh at the base that was reshaping itself, growing large, ready to hook and capture his mouth.

"He's going into heat," Lobo said, making a show of sniffing the air.

The word heat made Garfield's stomach clinched with hunger. The alphas were only feeding him mushy baby food. There was no substance in what he swallowed on a baby spoon no less. He wasn't even sure it was keeping him hydrated.

Lobo kneeled in front of him and fingered the skin between his balls and fiddled with the slick that dripped down his inner thighs. "You've been such a good little boy lately. I'm disappointed. I wanted to break more limbs."

Garfield remained still. His eyes were on Lobo, because the alpha demanded that he look at him when giving him oral, but the large shaft was going to deep, blocking his airways. He hated when Lobo did this, suffocated him because he could.

"Let's ride another one of your heats together," Lobo said, shoving his head all the way down on top of the member.

Garfield took a deep breath through his nose as Lobo's knot caught behind his teeth. He fought the panic. Lust gave a hard slap to his naked thigh. The sudden, jarring movement made his heart hammer and his brain start to avalanche into a mess of mindless streaming thoughts.

Lobo stilled for a moment. "If I feel teeth, even once, I will pull them out of your mouth. I'll have your limbs cut off and I'll string you to my wall like a sex puppet."

"Such an obedient little omega," Lust cooed with pride.

Lust giant shaft was shoved unceremoniously into his hole, bypassing the ring of tight muscle. It stole his breath. He wasn't so far gone in his heat and they were going to start this. He wanted to be unconscious in the omega heat, lost to the deprived nature of his inner desire to breed. It was rough, but it would feel good. He knew it would when his heat made him a begging whore. The first two times were mindless blackouts, but his brain was adjusting. He wasn't blacking out. He hated it, all the stupid words that fell from his lips when they weren't occupied with dildos and body parts.

"So needy," Lobo said. The words were starting to fade with Garfield's lack of oxygen.

Now! Now was the time to go under! He prayed with all his might that the desire would flood him. It was starting in his stomach and in his toes. The air of desire that warmed everything. It made everything delicious, even the pain. He wanted the pain as much as he wanted the pleasure. He drove back on the shaft probing his ass. The painful stretch went straight to his head. It was a white noise. It was the sound of an air conditioning humming in his head. He was lost to it, driving back as hard as he could while the cock stretched his mouth.

Yes to being an omega. Yes to the desire it brought. Yes to the desire that washed through him. Yes to the pain.

And yes, he was going to stay in control.

oOo

"We should talk," Batman said.

Nightwing brushed a hand over his face. It burned to blink, which meant he was staring too long at the computer screen. He pushed his rolling chair away from the computer and spun around to meet Batman. The real man behind the mask was just as serious.

"It's come to my attention through your team that you've been distracted. We agreed that you'd still go to college even as a hero," Batman said.

"I kept that promise." How would Batman know he skipped a few classes? The world was distracting in and of itself. It felt like a piece of him was floating out there. Beast Boy was missing for three months. All the heroes knew. Hell, anyone with a television or computer knew that the green titan was an omega. What bothered him was that Beast Boy completely disappeared.

"You've missed classes this week. The team is concerned. Superboy said you aren't sleeping," Batman said.

"I'm a chip off the block then." There was no humor in his statement. Truth be told, he could see now why Batman didn't sleep. It was easy to let thoughts occupy the mind. This wasn't the first time he missed out on sleep, but it must've been noticeable lately if they brought it to Batman's attention. "I'll head to bed now. I have class in the morning."

"Nightwing," Batman's tone stopped him. "I know you miss him. You've been in the tower for years with the omega. You looked after him and did your best as a leader, but you are exhibiting signs of someone who is already mated."

Nightwing licked his lips and thought back to when Beast Boy was on his lap. His green friend bit him on the neck. He knew enough about omegas to know that Garfield couldn't mark him. "He doesn't want to be with the League, that's fine, but I need to know he's okay."

"And what if you never find out?" Bruce asked.

Nightwing frowned. "He didn't disappear out of the universe. I'll find him and bring him back. He'll be safe with the League."

Batman's face tightened into a frown. "Do you think he'll believe that?"

Good question. Either way, he wasn't letting dust settle on his thoughts.


	9. Chapter 9

The air conditioner kicked on, pushing dusty from the tops of numerous filing cabinets. Nightwing shoved another drawer shut, trying to calm his annoyance. They'd been investigating Wayne Labs all summer. Bruce had given him the tip and he took it to his team. With Bruce's help, he managed to get through the door a little quicker than if they'd done it on their own. His mentor fixed him with a false internship, but that meant a lot of studying to be familiar with chemistry, bio-engineering and disease control. At least some of his education was coming in handy quickly.

"Did you get all that?" Nightwing asked. One of the many pens he kept in the breast pocket of his lab coat pocket served as a speaker.

"I'm scanning the last signature now," Aqualad responded through the earpiece in Nightwing's ears.

Nightwing adjusted his classes that served as cameras, and then glanced at his watch. His lunch break was over. He cautiously let himself out of the file room, glancing up at the camera on the right wall, directly pointed at the file room. Batman was connected to the system and controlled what security was seeing. He nodded towards Kon-El, serving as security for the file room. He nodded back and went back to silently typing on the computer.

The large facility was connected to the hospital, but the entrance was gated where the employees parked. The doorways that lead into the hospital were locked via key panel. Regular doctors and nurses weren't going to make it into this side without a pass code. Occasionally, a patient did end up on their end for care, but it was legit. There was nothing illegal about the operation.

Bruce suspected an illegal transaction was being made when he discovered omega embryo fluid in the lab. If that were the case, there was reason to believe that someone in the lab knew where there were at least three pregnant omegas. In a society with such a rare breed, and a gender that in itself had a hard time maintaining a pregnant state, there was reason to believe it wasn't luck. It was a serious offense selling omegas on the black market. There were so few already.

Nightwing walked up to security and handed over his badge. They gave him the okay to walk through the metal detector and he collected his badge on the other side. His internship was up in a week. He'd have to tell Bruce there was nothing to connect his facility with the string of black market takedowns in the last couple of years.

And though Nightwing was diligently following them, no of the men interviewed said they say anyone with green skin come through.

oOo

Garfield kneeled on the floor with his rump resting on the heels of his feet. His head was down and his hair brushed over his shoulders. It was long now, even for him. He was smaller too. When he was good, they let him have real adult food. His stomach was always hungry, which made sleeping difficult, but it was something he was accustomed to.

He recognized the footfalls, the familiar shifting of weight that rested in the wood doors as they were opened and closed. He fell to his stomach with his arms stretched as far over his head as possible on the floor. He was kissing the carpet and he wasn't uncomfortable with it.

"Why does he do that when you come in?" Lust complained. "He never treats me like that."

"You don't own his body and mind," Lobo commented, setting his bags on the floor. It wasn't much of a home, but it was a very small space that the three of them shared for as long as his memories could stretch back.

"You will do that when I enter the room," Lust ordered.

"No, he won't." There was movement as Lobo came further into the room, taking a seat on the bed to remove his shoes. The stench of sweat and dirt immediately filled the small area.

"At least shower before you sit on the bed," Lust complained.

"Does the smell of a working alpha offend you?" Lobo probed.

Lust grunted. "I did the real work. I captured him."

"This is why you'll never be his master," Lobo said. The bedsprings moaned when the giant man stood and started unbuckling his belt. It was all movement and sound, but Garfield knew it well. He had watched, when he'd been more defiant.

"Why?" Lust's voice moved closer to the bed. The smell of anger quickly added to the stench of unwashed skin.

"Because you bitch like a little untrained omega. You found him, but he will never behave like this for you," Lobo said. The larger hunter went still.

The alphas had been at each other's throats more. The shift in power changed long ago, but the alphas were finally aware of it as Garfield had been months prior. They were still not aware of his changes though.

"I have business to attend to, but I'll be back. We'll discuss it then," Lust said. Knowing Lust, his way of dealing with a situation would be to react first. Garfield made a mental list of what that reaction would entail. If Lust removed him, he'd be back in a world he'd never escape from. Lust wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

Lobo chuckled. Garfield could feel it to the core. He was hungry and his head hurt, but he didn't move until his master rose, yanking his arm and pulling him back to sit at his feet. Lust watched them for a brief second before disappearing. When he did that, he left a smell in the room. All the mingling scents were leaving him more nauseous than normal.

The alien alpha pulled him onto his lap and he tried not to squirm from the sour sweat that hit his nose. It didn't work. The large arms immediately let him go when he realized what was about to happen. Garfield rarely made a move without Lobo's permission, but if he opened his mouth, he would vomit.

"Go," Lobo said.

He prayed his master didn't realize he was already in motion before the command. He pushed the porcelain lid up and emptied the bile from his stomach. This was the third time he'd been sick that day, over smells, the last being right after Lust's knot detached, releasing him. Lust didn't stop him from running to the bathroom. In fact, the alpha laughed, not taking offense, not like Lobo would.

When his stomach stopped heaving, he flushed the toilet. It took energy he didn't have, to stand and walk the few steps to the sink. He rinsed his mouth and splashed water over his face. It didn't stop the heat flash followed by dizziness. When he felt collected, he glanced in the mirror, catching Lobo standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. He immediately looked down, grabbing the towel and wiping his face off.

"Come omega," he ordered.

Garfield stood, unsure where they would be going. Lobo threw clothes on the bed for him and he stared, mildly confused. Why would he need clothes? He hadn't worn clothes in… ages.

"Hurry, omega." It was a direct order.

Garfield pulled on the black trunks. They were tight, cupping his penis and sac close to his body. Next were the silk bohemian pants. They were navy blue and he kept the elastic under his belly button where it felt better. There was a thin, gold link necklace that he could've doubled over twice around his neck. Instead, he let it link all the way down to his belly.

He didn't risk touching his stomach. He didn't want Lobo suspecting what he felt was true. Instead, he slid on the shoes that were so soft with thin soles. He cupped his hands together and waited with his head down. Lobo was watching him. He could feel the alpha studying him.

"Follow me, omega," he said.

Garfield followed him out of the room he was usually kept and into the spacious living room. It wasn't his space. He wasn't allowed in it usually. He swallowed the trepidation, but he didn't like what he was now aware of. Lobo was walking towards the door and he couldn't remember the last time he'd been out. It felt like centuries, but logically, it was probably more than a year and less than five since he'd been confined to the living arrangements with both alphas.

The hair on the back of his neck rose with anxiety. If he waited too long, he'd anger the bounty hunter. Lobo angry meant broken bones. He stopped just outside the reach of sunlight that spread across the floor. It'd been years since he was out in society; since he felt the sunlight on his skin. There were alphas out in society, who were bigger and meaner than Lobo, he was certain. He did everything his master wanted, but this was one thing he had difficulty with. He wasn't sure he could protect himself any more. And he wasn't so sure he wanted to. That was Lobo's job. So why was his alpha putting him through this.

"Garfield," Lobo warned.

He was on autopilot, moving forward into the light. It felt weird against his skin, even though it wasn't hot like summer; it was still warmer than the florescent light bulbs in his room. He stood close to Lobo, waiting for the alpha to show some sign of annoyance as he locked the door. Out of self preservation, Garfield took that moment to glance around their surroundings.

There were other homes. In fact, they were on a rural street. All the two story homes had lawns and neatly kept hedges. A few of the driveways had mini vans and children played out in the street. It wasn't nearly as isolated as he thought, though when they moved from the nothing that was Lust's dimension, he hadn't exactly been outside the bedroom of his new location. He heard lawnmowers, they marked a passage of time, but the windows in his room were darkened and he never ventured into the living room.

Beyond the block, within walking distance, were large towering buildings. A black car waited for them and Lobo opened his car door first. He slid in, catching the eyes of the driving. The man was in his late forties and soft brown eyes. Knowing his own scent as omega and recognizing the scent of an alpha, he knew the non-domineering scent in the car as beta.

"Where to, pal?" the man asked. When Garfield glanced at him again, those eyes were still on him, though he addressed the alpha that shut his door.

"The Wayne Laboratory Corporation," Lobo said.

Garfield sunk down into his seat as they left behind the warm neighborhood for the grungy city with spray painted walls. It left him feeling claustrophobic. The painted billboards had symbols written in red over them. Some of the buildings had towels over the numerous windows. Even the smell crept into the car.

"Gotta love Gotham City man," the driver tried for jovial.

Garfield sung farther into his seat, glancing over at Lobo. Surely the bounty hunter knew whose territory they were traveling through. Lobo appeared unconcerned, looking at a gadget that was nothing like a mobile phone, yet it worked like one. He got calls on it and when he did, he spoke in a language that Garfield was familiar hearing, but couldn't understand.

He glanced back out the window. It was still too early in the day to expect the light in the sky that would signal Batman out on patrol. Batman… who smelled like an alpha he was already far too familiar with. He shivered.

"Don't vomit in the car," Lobo warned, mistaking his behavior. Blessings in small doses.

The drive was too long and too short. It was a number of too many things and all those things he tallied in his head, like how many stop lights they passed and how many cop cars he saw. He fiddled with his fingers in his lap and felt the growing nausea when they came to the gate behind the hospital. Lobo gave their driver the code to punch into the key pad.

He watched as the gate slid open and the car rounded the parking lot until they were in front of double glass doors. Lobo paid the bill and got out of the car first, grabbing the door for him. He felt dizzy when he stood, catching himself last second before he fully placed a hand on his stomach. He swiped his hand instead, hoping Lobo didn't see anything unusual about the motion.

When they made it to the front, a nurse was waiting for them. Beta. They passed three security guards, two middle aged men and one man nearing retirement, all betas. They passed four women in lab coats. Betas. They passed two nurses, also beta.

"Lobo," a man greeted them when they rounded the corner. He was older too, gray hair and watery blue eyes. Beta.

"Doctor Bowen. I want you to tell me why my omega stopped having heats," Lobo said.

The blood drained from Garfield's head.

oOo

A headache was already starting behind his eyes. Nightwing leaned back in his chair, spotting his glasses sitting on the counter. He couldn't remember when he took them off. It was time for a break.

He swiped the glasses off the counter and slid them back on his nose before standing and stretching. It was time to check out the vending machine. At least something tonight would be in motion, even if it was only gears releasing a salty snack. God. That would mean a longer workout in the combat room, but he needed something to kill the boredom.

"I'm never retiring," he grunted, knowing that someone was still on the other end of the receiver, even if it wasn't Aqualad kicking back on the notoriously long nothing of a night.

"I hear you man," another fellow scientist stated. There was too much enthusiasm from the co-worker and out of guilt, Nightwing gave the man a thumbs up. Inwardly, he could never see himself at a desk. How did Bruce pull this off during the day?

"God, there better be something in the vending machine, or I'm going to human resources," he said under his breath.

"By vending machine, I hope you mean the lunch Miss Martian packed for you," Wally said. At least now he knew who took over monitoring the camera.

He got into the hall and his bicep was grabbed, yanking him around to face an equally young woman in scrubs.

"Doctor Bowen needs a lab assistant in his examination room," she said.

Nightwing's brows furrowed. "I'm an intern."

"Doesn't matter. I don't have time to track another lab assistant down. Go meet him in B147," she ordered. With the message delivered, she took off down the hallway.

"Did you catch that?" Nightwing mumbled.

"Yeah. You get to save your hard earned intern cash," Wally said. He sounded mildly amused.

"This internship doesn't pay," he countered.

"I hope you at least get college credit because baby, you got screwed working for free," Wally said.

The hallway had a number of closed doors. He stopped when he caught the smell of alpha. There were less than a handful of alphas in the building and he'd been using a product similar to omega suppressants, to mask his alpha scent. Of the handful of alphas present, this scent didn't belong to anyone he knew. He sniffed again and frowned. There was another scent too, much softer, nearly masked.

"There is an omega here," he whispered under his breath, stopping short. He was four doors down and could barely hear the conversation through the heavy wood. Hopefully the alpha on the other side hadn't heard his statement.

"Sending live stream request to the Justice League as we speak," Wally said. There was no indication in the glasses he wore, that the streaming was in effect. "Our connection with the Justice League is now live. Wonder Woman is receiving the feed. She said to proceed."

He was going to proceed even without her permission. He rapped his knuckles on the door before opening it. The fluorescent lights were no brighter in the examination room, but with three bodies already present, the room was crowded.

"Mr. Grayson, an excellent choice," Doctor Bowen said. "You can speak freely. Mr. Grayson is our newest intern. He has a keen eye."

Nightwing's shoulders tensed when he found himself staring at the alpha in question. The man wore sunglasses, but that wasn't the oddest thing about him. His skin was a soft shade of blue. He was as broad as he was tall. He wore a hard shell gear over his clothes and combat boots. The man had so much metal on, he couldn't guess how he got through security. It wasn't enough he was openly wearing weapons.

"I was telling our client that many things can temporarily delay a heat and of course, there are a few situations that can be dire," Doctor Bowen went on, unfazed by the pure aggression in the alpha. "But I think we should start with a pregnancy test."

Nightwing watched as a much smaller person peeked out from around the giant alpha. There was no escaping the hitch in his breath. He dreamt of that pale green skin and deepest emerald eyes for three years. Garfield's pointed ears peeked through long, pine green hair that curled at the bottom. His body was much thinner now, almost feminine. His throat was long, begging to be bit and claimed. His body was willowy and surprisingly dainty. He'd grown a few inches since they last met, but nothing more.

Garfield stared at him with mistrust, before his eyes darted to the doctor. A second later he disappeared behind the alpha with one hand still resting on the alpha's bicep. It shouldn't have angered him. He spent most of his life dealing with his emotions, keeping them tapered so he could make good decisions when it came to very trying situations, but Garfield didn't belong to the alpha. This wasn't Garfield at all. The omega served with the Teen Titans. He shouldn't be docile at all.

The alpha didn't move. "Get this started doctor. I want to know why my omega stopped having heats."

"Yes, yes of course. If we can get him on the examination table," Doctor Bowen said.

The alpha stepped to the side and Garfield immediately stepped closer to him, refusing to look at anyone as he clung to the alpha and buried his face. Garfield made very small, panic sounds that sent stressed omega pheromones into the room. The alpha part of Nightwing clawed its way up his throat in the form of a growl. He swallowed it and the very motion hurt.

"Omega." That one word sounded like a threat coming from the strange alpha.

Garfield's shoulders immediately slumped. It was when Garfield's attention slowly drifted back to the doctor, that he could tell those usually sharp emerald eyes lacked their usual glow. In fact, he appeared drugged.

"Does he have anxiety then?" Doctor Bowen asked, as if the omega in question hadn't been kidnapped and forced into his mating.

"He'll get over it," the alpha said. He gave Garfield a hard shove towards the table.

Instead of going to the table, Garfield stepped closer to the wall. His hair fell over his shoulders, his chin was tucked down. He was folding in on himself, pushing into the wall as if he could move through it if he willed it hard enough.

"Omega, kneel and submit," he ordered.

Garfield used the wall to slowly slide to the ground. He rested his bottom on the back of his heels. He had both hands behind his back and he was statue still. This time his head was down and his eyes were closed.

"We'll start with the pregnancy test," Doctor Bowen said. "Please see to it, Mr. Grayson. I keep a spare test in the supply closet."

Nightwing nodded and exited the room. It was all he could do to keep from turning the situation from bad to worse by fighting for what was rightfully his team mate… and omega willing, possibly his future mate.

It took everything inside him not to slam the door. His shoulders were tight. He had a pulsing headache at his temples. It was hard to breathe through the emotional weight pressing in on his chest.

"If he knocked up my omega, I'm going to kill him," he growled as he rounded the corner.

"Mr. Grayson," the gravelly tone of his mentor stopped him in his tracks. The disguise the alpha wore hardly allowed him any resemblance to the man who raised him. Bruce Wayne offered him a small box that he immediately recognized as the pregnancy kit. "You are dealing with Hahn Sho Lobo. He is an intergalactic bounty hunter and he's extremely dangerous."

"What are you suggesting? That we do nothing? He held Garfield against his will."

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "I'm telling you to wait. Anything rash can hinder our chances of seeing Garfield again. There is already a connection here with Hahn Sho Lobo. We won't lose it as long as the relationship between him and Doctor Bowen isn't damaged." Bruce sighed. "I understand this is hard, but you need to wait."

Nightwing walked back into the room with the kit and sat it on the counter long enough to pull on medical gloves. Hahn Sho Lobo was a massive alpha. There was a great deal of muscular bulk and the weapons he openly wore at his hips. The alpha watched them closely, but didn't touch his omega on the head or try to comfort Garfield's open fear. The smell alone should've made the alpha who claimed him, overly protective.

Nightwing stilled his inner turmoil as he opened the box and laid out the test strips, and the pin to the side. It was an omega pregnancy kit, which didn't take as long for results as a beta and alpha pregnancy kit. Omega's were so fertile that pregnancy tests had quick results.

Nightwing took the pin and test strip over to where Garfield remained as still as possible in a submissive stance. This wasn't Garfield. It drove him insane to see the feisty, motor-mouth suddenly tight lipped. He took Garfield's hand, grateful that the blockers he was on, kept him from sporting an erection. The last thing Garfield needed was another knot.

He took the omega's fingers. His entire hand and fingers remained soft in his, until he pricked a fingertip with the pin. Blood swelled at the tip of the finger and Garfield hadn't flinched. In fact, he stared straight ahead at nothing. Watching him closely, it almost appeared like Garfield was trying not to breath.

Nightwing took the test strip and pressed it against the bloody finger. The yellow strip paper turned blue. In seconds, Garfield's fingers tightened in his hand, gripping his hand for a life line.

"He's pregnant," Doctor Bowen said, jovial. "Omegas have narrow birth canals and it causes common issues like miscarriages or premature births. We caught this early enough that there are a few things we can do to help your offspring-"

"I want it aborted," Lobo said.

Garfield choked before catching his reaction and growing still again. The color drained from his face and he pulled his hand from Nightwing's. Everything inside him wanted to pull Garfield to him, to promise him he could keep the child while the alpha in him said; abort the child and I'll give you one you can keep.

"Yes, of course, but may I suggest an alternative for a month," Bowen said. When the alpha didn't interrupt, he quickly continued. "The embryo fluid is a highly sought after aphrodisiac. There is a market searching for it and the clients pay well. You could get an eighty percent cut of sell price. Afterwards, at the end of the month, we can terminate the pregnancy."

Garfield looked like he was ready to fall out of the rigid stance he tried to maintain. It took everything inside Nightwing not to close the distance to catch him. Worse, he wanted to pull the omega's head under his chin and wrap his arms around him. This close, the pregnant pheromones made him salivate. He wanted to tip the omega over, pull the omega pants off him and dive into the sweetness of his hole.

"The money?" Lobo asked.

"It can run as high as forty thousand per vial. Sex clubs like it for their staff, keeps them wanton like an omega heat, for hours. The clubs profit greatly when their staff doesn't demand breaks," Doctor Bowen said.

Nightwing forced himself to his feet and watched the doctor. He couldn't believe he was hearing this. Omegas went into heat for days at a time. If what the doctor was suggesting was true, it could easily burn out the system of a beta or alpha whose genetics weren't made for the fasting and weeklong mating rituals.

"How much could you get from him?" Lobo asked. The bounty hunter sounded like his decision was made.

"At this stage, maybe two vials. If you wait a month, we could get four, maybe five tops," Doctor Bowen said.

Lobo nodded. "Very well. We'll see you in a month."

Nightwing made a small movement when Garfield got to his feet and leaned against the wall for support with one hand resting on his lower stomach. He didn't argue what he just heard. That wasn't Garfield. This person in front of him was not the omega that he fought with. He wanted that sassy omega back.

"Stand down," Wally demanded in his earpiece. "Those are the orders of the Justice League. There is going to be a meeting when you get off work."

Nightwing gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay in the examination room even after the three walked out. He hissed under his breath, but the deep breath that followed, only drowned him in omega pheromones.

"I want him dead," he said.

"Man, there are a few more people here you should talk to about that," Wally replied. The usually quick silver tongued young man was unnaturally somber. "We understand what this means to you. We're going to make sure Garfield doesn't leave with him a second time."


	10. Chapter 10

Wonder Woman, the only alpha present that wasn't chosen to be a guardian or lead alpha in Garfield's life, stood from her chair. Dick leaned back and forced his mind to stay calm. Being in a room with alphas who would willingly knot Garfield made his blood boil. He steadied his breathing and watched each hero carefully for any sign of rogue behavior.

Garfield hadn't been normal in at the lab. He'd been docile. It was all wrong. This was reason enough to protect the omega from other alphas, including him.

"This is a high risk mission. The omega we need to separate is pregnant and the alpha is volatile. Chances are high enough to factor in, that this separation process will cause a strong reaction in the omega's biological chemistry. Garfield could go into heat during this mission. It is noted that he's underweight and there are clear signs of deprivation. We need to go over protocol for all situations and have an emergency arrangement for if he goes into heat," she said.

Green Lantern was first to shift in his chair as he lifted the folder in front of him and flipped through the pages. "How far along are we certain Garfield is? And what arrangement could we have that would be better than what the hospital can offer? It's common for omegas to lose their babies when there are many alphas present."

"We need to take Lobo down quickly and quietly. It's best if Garfield wasn't witness to this," she said.

"So you want us to what? Politely ask him to come with us and expect that he will?" Flash asked.

There were a few mumbled comments, but Dick barely heard them. His mind flashed back to Garfield in the examination room, on his knees. The green omega was so scared, but he didn't beg. He didn't say anything. The Garfield he remembered should've fought. His mouth never knew when to stop, even when he understood he wasn't calling the shots.

"If we force him, his body will terminate the fetus. He could go into estrus right there," she answered. The room was silent far too long when her eyes finally fell on him. She was speaking to everyone, but the message was deliberately to him. "If Garfield's personality hasn't changed, he's going to fight. I'm sorry," her eyes roamed to the other three alphas that laid claim on the omega as well. "Chances are, he is going to lose the baby."

"You didn't see him. He's completely defeated," Dick said. Goose bumps prickled his skin under his suit.

"There are clear signs of Stockholm Syndrome. We will need to take all precautions in separating him from Lobo," Batman said.

Nightwing rolled his shoulders, but the tension remained. Waiting wasn't working for him. He needed something to do. He barely heard anything Wonder Woman went on about with the rescue. His mind was stuck at the examination room. He went over every scenario, not surprised when Wonder Woman hashed her own thoughts on exactly the same strategies.

"I've been working on a very light sedative for Garfield. It should keep him comfortable while we transfer him here," Wonder Woman said. She remained standing as she eyed them. "This is the first time we've dealt with an attached omega. Anything we didn't expect could happen."

"What if Lobo escapes us? Garfield could get hurt in this," Green Lantern said.

"We're going to do our best to separate the two and to keep Garfield from losing the baby. I'll know more about his health once we have him in our examination room," Wonder Woman said. Her eyes were back on him. "There is one more thing," Wonder Woman sat a box of small plastic containers on the table. The four containers with blue lids were handed to the four main alphas. The ten containers with red lids were handed to the guardians. "I will need semen from all of you."

Nightwing didn't touch the container in front of him. He didn't want to meet anyone's gaze and was grateful he didn't have to. The others weren't quick to gather their containers either.

Dick wasn't the first to stand up once the meeting was finished. His mind went over every fact he burned into his mind about Garfield, right down to the subservient way he stood stock still. Garfield was careful not to look at anyone.

"Nightwing?" Batman asked.

Dick didn't realize he was grinding his teeth until pain shot through his jaw bone. "We're going to need to wear beta blockers to keep Garfield from reacting to our scents. A rapid switch in alphas will throw him into heat no matter how cautious we are."

The last time he felt this helpless, he watched his parents fall from the trapeze swings. It was a feeling he swore to never feel again, but there was no action to their situation that was going to work.

"There are alphas in that building. If they don't smell another alpha, they will challenge us. The blockers will never work," Batman said. His cup with the blue lid still sat on the table untouched. "You will hear Garfield in stress. We're taking out his alpha and he's attached to Lobo now. It's been discussed and we think it's better if you wait this one out."

"Everything you're saying is only pissing me off more." He stood from his chair and tried to keep his fists unclenched. Batman remained watchful.

"You were his leader for a long period of time. If anyone is at risk of going into a rut, it's you. You think you're strong enough to take him from Lobo and not knot him right there in the hospital in front of the team and the scientists?" Batman asked.

"Yes. I can control myself for Garfield's sake."

oOo

Alfred placed the silver tray in front of Bruce. Bruce didn't give him a second glance as he typed into his computer search engine. "You will be using an old farmers method of procuring a mating then, I see."

Bruce leaned back in his chair and glanced at his omega servant whose attention was on the empty plastic container with a screw lid. "Have you heard of semen working in calming and mating an omega? There aren't many omegas in this world to say this is more than a theory."

"Science does dictate that an omega can instantly be calmed by alphas sperm, used back when I was in the throes of my lessons in medicine. I would say the few omegas present were quite calmed by the introduction of sperm from their future alphas. Unmated omegas are impressionable," he said.

"Unmated," Bruce frowned. His thoughts drifted to Garfield. He could still smell the young, pregnant omega. He shook the thoughts. "Wonder Woman thinks this will help Garfield to accept his new alphas quicker."

"But you aren't so sure?" Alfred supplied.

"If you saw him," he shook his head. "The kid was mentally defeated. I'm concerned what a major change might do to him. It's going to be difficult saving him and his pregnancy."

Alfred made an all-knowing click with his tongue. "I agree with you Master Bruce. There is no way you are going to separate him from his original alpha without him losing the baby. In the end though, is it better that he come back to the team or stay with this alpha who took him?"

"He is better off with us," and he believed that. There was regret in knowing what had to be done, but for Garfield, to save the young omega, he would have to go through with this. Tonight, in the shower, he would take care of his sample.

oOo

Garfield hugged his body as he stared out the window onto the street below. The apartment was a hasty choice, though it was a residence that Lobo kept in the city when he was on a hunt. Lust hadn't found them. He ticked the days away on the calendar and watched it get closer to the fact that he was about to lose his baby. He brushed his hands over his stomach and felt sick despite not being fed for the day.

The front door slammed and he immediately sunk to his knees and stretched his body with his arms over his head and rump resting on the back of his heels. It wasn't comfortable. Being on the ground in that position made his stomach lurch, so he held his breath. The footfalls made the floor vibrate as he listened to his master drop something on the counter. It was probably mail. Master never opened his mail.

His alpha opened the fridge and growled. The floor kept vibrating as he paced before finally threw the bedroom door open. The smell of wet leather and unwashed skin assaulted his nose. Face down, his master would never know that he hated these days the most, when Lobo came home drunk on testosterone and adrenaline. He could taste it on the air. It unnerved him every time.

Something light was dropped on his head. Fabric. He didn't dare reach for it.

"Get dressed and let's go," Master ordered.

With permission, he fingered the lacy fabric and pulled it off his head as he sat up. It took a moment to realize they were lacy boy shorts. He stood slowly, to keep his bearings and leaned on the bed to pull them on. After being naked for months on end, it felt strange to have lace against his skin. There was a certain amount of roughness to lace. The shorts were short in the back, cupping his buttocks. The way it was cute, it kept his balls and penis firmly against his pelvis bone. Next he pulled on the soft boots made from a cream colored velvet. The soles were soft rubber. The bite collar was never removed from his neck.

"Let's get going," master ordered from the living room. To his disappointment, this meant that his master wasn't going to shower. They'd be in the car together, and he'd be inundated with the stench of sweat soaked leather and testosterone.

He hesitated. He'd never been out in public this bare before. Not wanting to anger his master, he stepped into the living room. There was no denying how exposed he felt outside the bedroom. When they walked out the door, he moved closer to his alpha. Master was easily three times bigger than most alphas. He couldn't remember the last time he saw an alpha built as sturdy as master… but they were out there, because he still had dreams about the alphas he ran from.

_Don't Run,_ that's what Robin had said. He shivered at the remembered rumble of his leader's voice. That was so long ago.

Everything was coming up quick, swallowing him whole. It made his stomach turn. It completely sucked him under. He was going to lose the baby. Since his last visit with the doctor, he tried not to think about the tiny life growing inside him. It was his. His baby. His creation. His future everything. Being left alone so long made him crave the baby. It would give him something to do. It would give him something to love.

They rode the elevator and stepped out into the apartment foyer. There was a woman checking her mail. Beta. She glanced at him first, then his master and quickly busied herself. With the amount of testosterone pumping through his alpha, no doubt the larger man would almost anything as a challenge. They walked out onto the street and the much cooler air made his skin prickle. Even his hair brushing along his shoulders made his skin tickle with heightened sensitivity.

There was a car waiting for them and Garfield sunk down into the seat. Beta driver. The man already knew their destination and the car moved into traffic, silent. Garfield glanced out the window, watching people coming in and out of shops. A large group emerged from the underground subway staircase. The street was busy with people of all ages. He sunk farther in his seat when he realized others were watching the car. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and sighed.

The sun was going down and traffic was horrendous. Tension tightened his shoulders and left him dizzy when their car moved through the gated entrance of the Wayne Lab Corporation, connected to the backside of the Wayne Hospital. When the car pulled in front of the sliding doors, he stared at the bluish-gray light emitting off the soft glow lights inside. It was foreboding.

The door opened for him and he slid a foot out, then the other, using the door for strength. His stomach twisted so badly with fear, that he barely noticed his hunger. He could jump back into the car. He could order the cab driver to leave… but would the beta risk displeasing an alpha by letting his omega get free? Master would find him and he had no desire to leave the protection Lobo offered. Almost.

"Come, omega," master ordered.

He fell in step behind his alpha, but quickened his steps and fought the desire to catch onto his master for strength. The doors slid open and the air was a bit nippier than the night air. The egg shell colored tile floor and cerulean blue walls made the world within sedated.

"Mister Lobo, this way please," Doctor Bowen said. The man was wearing a white lab coat over a white button shirt, black tie and black pants. When the doctor glanced his way, Garfield turned his attention to the ground. "I trust your omega is doing well this evening? Very well behaved."

Garfield swallowed the compliment. He didn't want it. No one should compliment him but his master. They crossed through security and he glanced up. Two betas and one alpha. The hair at the back of his neck hackled. The alpha was young, black hair, broad in the shoulders despite his age, and tapered waist. His eyes were too sharp, too watchful. Garfield took a step forward, grabbing the back of his master's shirt. His master reached around, grabbing his wrist and pulling him ahead through the security. Garfield glanced back. The alpha was watching them.

"I'm going to do my rounds," the alpha security guard said. He stood, tall and menacing; almost as big as master.

Garfield glanced at his master to see if his master found this suspicious.

Lobo gave the young alpha a glance, but his full attention was on Bowen. "Will his recovery after the procedure be quick? I don't want a useless omega on my hands."

"It's a quick procedure. He should avoid copulation for a few weeks. A month would be preferable. If he would lose the child naturally, it would be a quicker recovery," Bowen stated.

In the hallway, they passed a beta and two alphas. Garfield's eyes lingered on them as the three watched in turn. One had red hair and the other a reddish-brown. He quickened his step. This wasn't good. There'd been no alphas the day before. He glanced at Lobo.

They rounded the corner and three alphas, dressed in lab coats stood to the side talking. Clipboards were in their hands and the snippets of the conversation sounded legit, but his gut twisted with concern. Something was wrong. His heart sped. The adrenaline overwhelmed his senses.

"How would we induce a miscarriage?" Lobo asked, drawing Garfield back to the conversation at hand.

They were moving too slow. The doctor was far too interested in the conversation. He grasped his stomach and moved with his back against Lobo as his master and the doctor exchanged words. He caught movement at the side of his vision and spun. The alphas came around the corner behind them, sealing off the only exit he was aware of. He nearly tripped into Lobo, finally catching his alpha's attention.

"What is-" Lobo trailed off when he saw the guns pointed at them.

A solid arm came up around Garfield. The air was knocked from his lungs when Lobo shoved him back into Doctor Bowen. The flustered doctor's hands were more stabilizing than protective. Garfield instantly forgave that, but yanked away from him when the man tried to pull him down the hall.

"What is going on? Do you know them?" Doctor Bowen asked.

"Take my omega somewhere safe. I'll find you," Lobo said.

Garfield immediately reached for his alpha, determined not to be separated. The attacking alphas said nothing. One of the guns popped off and then another. Lobo shoved him so hard, his head bounced off the wall. Garfield slid down, watching as Lobo picked a dart from his arm and stared at it.

"Tranquilizers? You think I'll go down that easy?" he growled.

Master's adrenaline shot through him like a sixth sense. It was sour and made him dizzy. It clouded his thought. There were too many alphas trying to surround his master.

Master charged the group of alphas. Another gun popped off. More alphas were coming around the corner. He had to stop this. Garfield got to his feet and glanced in the opposite direction. Doctor Bowen was gone; perhaps behind one of the numerous doors.

Lobo caught the closest alpha and brought him to the ground. Garfield was in motion now, running down the hallway. His heart raced in his chest. The blood pounded in his ears, but he heard his name and stopped. It hadn't come from his master. Someone in the group called for him. His real name.

He glanced back at a man in a black and blue suit. He wore a black mask and his black hair was fairly long. Garfield swallowed. Vigilante. Alpha. Stranger. They were going to take him.

"Garfield. It's going to be okay." The vigilante held his hand open, as if he meant to coax. Garfield took a step back and the man's chin tightened. "Don't run."

Lobo screamed in fury, rising up and knocking the other alphas back. The smell of blood was strong. So was the smell of alpha testosterone. They'd fight to the death as long as he was the prize. The approaching alpha was forced to turn his attention back to Lobo and Garfield took that moment to run. He had to find something big to distract the alphas and save his master.

The soft shoes made him skid as he came around the corner. Losing his balance, he ran into a fire extinguisher case. His arm ached in the shoulder and down where the metal caught him. To the side of the extinguisher was a red box with a white paddle. He yanked down on the paddle and the immediate screech of a siren pierced the hallway. The red light above started blinking and he waited against the wall when all the doors slammed open and people filtered into the hall.

Conversation added to the siren's screech. Betas filled the hallway and questions were being thrown to each other. Their combined smell of excitement and fear erased the smell of testosterone and blood, but not the shrieks of surprise. The betas ran into the alphas fighting. This was good. Maybe Lobo would get away. Everything inside him said backtracking was a bad idea. He had to press forward. A building this big had many ways out. He had to follow the stream of people heading in a different direction. Swimming against the tide was difficult though.

He kept moving, even as the crowd started to clear out. He didn't have much time to find an exit. If he didn't get outside, the alphas would find him. They would smell him. His stomach cramped a little too low with nerves. It made his lower spine tingle. The fear was a mix of things, it made his skin sensitive. It made his gut clench; made him almost wanton for his alpha's knot. He wanted to feel safe and secure again.

He rushed through double doors and into a much more crowded scene. He stopped short when three nurses pushing a bed from the elevator nearly ran him over. He stared at the chaos bubbling because of him. This was a hospital and it smelled like sick people. Guilt immediately stopped his thought process.

"A pregnant omega. Who is stupid enough to let you run around free," a male voice hissed in his ears. He jerked back, expecting one of the alphas that had taken his master down, but this smell was different. He was nothing like the lean, mega-alphas fighting his master. This alpha smelled like diesel fuel and sweat. He wore a flannel shirt over a white tee-shirt that barely covered his immense stomach. He wore bulky shoes, the type that probably had metal in the tips to protect the toes.

Garfield held his ground, but felt like a wet cat backed into a corner. "If you get me a car, I will leave and my master will not be forced to kill you."

"Righteous little breeder, aren't you?" The alpha grabbed him by the elbow and shoved him out of stampede of foot traffic.

"My alpha is mean. I've seen him skin a man!" The threat would've held more friction if he wasn't visibly shaking, both from recalling that experience and from being manhandled.

The man pushed a door open and shoved him in. It was immediately black when the door was shut. Adrenaline spiked his blood. Heat spread up his spine and through his pelvis. This was wrong. Holy crap! This was wrong. He recognized the early stages of heat.

He became desperate, twisting against the hands that tried to catch his shoulders and hold him against the wall. The room smelled worse than the hospital; mold, bleach, vomit.

"My alpha will kill you if you touch me," he threatened. He cried out when his stomach twisted low in the gut. He was losing the baby. Everything inside him said this was true.

The man laughed. The alarms were muffled by the door, but the man still shouted to be heard. "The same stupid alpha that's letting you run around alone? I'm not afraid of the bastard."

"He'll be here. He won't let you do this," Garfield screamed too. His throat hurt. He needed water. He needed it for a very long time, but master hadn't given it to him.

The man forced Garfield to face the wall. Bulky hands grasped him through the lace fabric and stroked him to life. Garfield stood paralyzed.

The same bulky fingers released him long enough to climb over his stomach and to his nipples that'd started aching recently. The man gave his nipples a few hard tugs and laughed humorlessly. "Not lactating yet. Shame."

Garfield's legs went weak and the man caught him around the waist, holding him up with one hand so he could grab the fabric of his panties with the other. Garfield grabbed the fabric too, determined not to lose his only defense.

The man growled and shook him hard, slamming his face into the wall. "Maybe someone should teach you what docile means." The door opened and the light was blinding. "The room is occupied, asshole."

Garfield blinked against the light, trying to adjust his eyesight. The man was pulled off him. It was a blur of movement, but he hadn't smelled Lobo. The door was slammed before he could dash out. The wood instantly rattled and there was a grunt on the other side. The alpha was getting his ass handed to him, but it wasn't Lobo who saved him.

Another alpha was just as dangerous as the last. He felt along the darkness for something strong. His fingers came across a wrench. He held it tight, waiting against the wall for the door to open again.


	11. Chapter 11

The muscle in Garfield's shoulders tensed as the seconds ticked on and the door didn't open. Someone grunted and begged on the other side of the barrier. The door rattled when the person was shoved against it and then they were gone. The sirens were off. The silence sunk in and he was even more aware of the throb between his shoulder blades where he held the wrench up, ready to attack.

There was another ache too; the one between his thighs. It throbbed like a heartbeat. He knew exactly what the on sought of heat brought with it. His shaft was hard, rubbing against the lace boy shorts as a sick reminder that he wanted Lobo, his master, badly. But any knot would do. That was the real sick part. Any knothead on the other side of the door could ease the pain. Would he beg for it? Would he cry and submit?

He had to be strong. Lobo was his master. He had to prove to master that he wasn't like the other omegas.

The door opened and at the first glint of light, he lunged forward, throwing his entire weight into it. It'd been a long time since he battled, but it came natural. There was no time to think. Action only. It was his last attempt at saving the baby and him from a different alpha.

A hand caught his wrist on the downswing and froze his movement. He jerked back, but the hold on his wrist wouldn't allow distance. It yanked him forward and he brought his other hand up to rest on the alpha's chest, to keep his nose from slamming into the wall of hard muscle. His heart was smashing against his ribcage. Nerves made his skin hypersensitive; though going into heat was the main cause for his overt interest in the alpha in front of him.

The alpha was tall, wearing metal armor on his shoulders and down his arm. Garfield risked a glance upward at the alpha's face, only to be greeted by the reflection of light off the alpha's mask. His one exposed eye stared hard at him. Slade.

He jerked back and Slade pulled him hard against the wall. His mask left him emotionless, but he tilted his head in a way to suggest he was catching the omega scent through the scant holes in his mask. Garfield melted up against the wall, wishing it would swallow him whole.

"Stop panicking. I'm not attracted to omegas. However, you will help me change a few things with the Justice League."

Garfield swallowed around the lump in his throat, but it wasn't going anywhere. "They won't compromise; not for you. I… I won't either. Lobo is my lord and master who I shall obey. My heart will always be his."

Slade's exposed eye narrowed as he took in Garfield's face. "You really think Lobo will be back? He'll be lucky if they don't kill him. No, you were promised a long time ago to a hero and I would do anything to watch him suffer. You've been gone too long Garfield. I'm guessing Lobo had you somewhere between worlds where others couldn't follow."

"Wha…what are you talking about? I wasn't promised to anyone," Garfield asked. His heart pounded so loud against his chest, he was sure Slade heard it.

"Child, it's impossible to be around an alpha as young as you were and not imprint," he said.

Garfield thought hard about the alphas he came across. Everyone was an alpha. He never thought about it, not until he hit fourteen, that maybe something was wrong. He should've developed sooner. All alphas did. But every alpha he named, he quickly dismissed. There were no alphas he could've imprinted on. Slade hated the Teen Titans, so that limited the alpha gene pool.

"Robin?" he asked aloud, the moment the thought took shape in his head.

Slade didn't respond. Robin was the one he imprinted on? Did alphas imprint? He had thought it was only omegas after the very few tidbits he looked up online. Everything was omega-centric. He thought it only fit omega's. Did that mean Robin cared about him? Did that mean Robin felt as strongly for him as he felt for Lobo? He physically shook his head and Slade shook him hard, forcing him up against the wall.

"I don't appreciate you being pregnant. I will immediately see that this miscarriage is successful," Slade promised, then pulled him out of the janitor closest.

He scanned the area. The sirens were off. Firefighters in full gear stood in the nurse station with a handful of female nurses. The nurses were beta. He knew this by their stance and how they kept their chins slightly down. They weren't as assertive as the alphas, but they weren't domestic like omegas. There were patients shoved towards the back of the large room, as if distance would keep them from being victimized by the Slade. People were bleeding. He could smell their blood as well as the blood dripping between his thighs along with slick. His gut ached and his hole throbbed. He needed a knot.

Garfield blinked up at the lithe figure that roughly kept a tight hold on his wrist. The mask was solid metal, one side dark, the other light. Slade's attention was on something just beyond him and he glanced over, realizing immediately that he was only the pawn. Slade started this with someone else in mind.

"We are not going to allow you to get far, Slade," the dark haired vigilante said. The others stood behind the young man.

Slade believed his alpha was Robin, but he didn't see Robin among the vigilantes. No one wore the green and red colors of the Teen Titan's alpha leader. The thought made him shiver. The last time he'd seen Robin, the alpha had his fingers up his hole making strange and warm feelings slide through him. Those were bonding feelings. He knew this from experience.

"You want this pregnant omega back? You want a baby maker?" Slade taunted. "That's what I would expect of you Nightwing. After all, he is your omega, isn't he? He's always been."

Nightwing? Was he Robin? He stared hard at the vigilante. Just like Robin, it was hard to read the emotion of the masked man whose face remained eerily blank.

Again Garfield shook the thought. That was a long time ago. He didn't still feel that way about Robin and there was no way the alpha could feel that about him. It'd been about a sense of duty on Robin's end. There was no way Robin would want to bond with an omega. He was almost positive of that.

"Slade, you are taking this too far. Give the omega to us and we will negotiate your time in Arkham Asylum," Nightwing said.

Garfield swallowed hard again, staring at the man who was so much taller than he remembered Robin being. This man had broad shoulders and a tapered waist. He had a solid chest and no doubt, a solid stomach. His outfit hugged every inch of muscle and when Garfield felt his attention slipping lower, he immediately blushed and looked down at the ground instead. He couldn't think of the stranger as his imprinted mate. His mate was Lobo.

Slade chuckled. It was a raspy, hollow sound. "You think Arkham will hold me? Whatever time I am forced to serve is worth it in the end when you suffer. You want the little omega back? This broken piece of shit? This little baby maker who can't hold on to the baby he's been given?"

Garfield shrunk in on himself. His free hand went to touch his stomach, aware that the slick dripping from his throbbing hole carried blood. He was losing the baby. Nothing would change that now. His breath hitched when Slade gave him a shake, then turned to someone he hadn't seen behind them; another alpha. This creature was massive; built like a jungle predator.

"Take him," Slade hissed.

The alpha grunted as Garfield was traded off. The man's hold was much tighter, threatening to break the fine bones in his wrist. He could feel his pulse. His fingers went numb from the tight hold. This close, he took in the masculine scent of male testosterone from armpits that didn't have deodorant. The alpha was all natural and it made Garfield's eyes sting. Mammoth. He recognized the giant, animalistic alpha by his scent.

"Time to go," Mammoth growled as he dragged Garfield towards the sliding glass doors.

He dragged his feet, but it lasted only a second. Mammoth growled his disapproval and yanked Garfield over his shoulder. There would be bruises, but it hardly mattered. He couldn't leave without Lobo and he'd fight to find his alpha. The thought made him sink in disappear against Mammoth's hard shoulder muscles that dug into his stomach and ribs, making it difficult to breath.

There was an explosion right as the double doors shut. The wind blew hard against his exposed, wet thighs. Mammoth growled, giving his ass a hard slap. The alpha's chest vibrated in content at the sound forced from Garfield's throat. Garfield hated himself.

There was a bright yellow sports car parked in the emergency only section of the hospital, right outside the doors. The driver immediately scrambled to make room for Mammoth, who shoved Garfield in first. Garfield crawled over the middle section and into the passenger seat. His eyes shot skyward, wondering if Star Fire or Raven would be in the air waiting to shoot them down. There was nothing in the dark sky. Not even the bright stars pierced through the stormy atmosphere.

Mammoth slammed on the gas, sending Garfield against the door. He tried to right himself when Mammoth yanked him hard against the seat and growled.

"Move again and I'll fuck you right here you stupid omega bitch," Mammoth warned.

Anger stirred in Garfield. He'd been a Teen Titan once. They won many battles against H.I.V.E. F.I.V.E. How soon Mammoth forgot what he could do… what he had been able to do in the past. When he lost his ability, he lost his identity. He sunk back into the seat, unsure how to approach the battling emotions. It didn't help that the smell of his slick overpowered the smell of new leather.

"What you looking for, bitch?" Mammoth growled.

Garfield shifted in his seat, surprised that Mammoth noticed him looking skyward. There should be someone; Superman or Wonder Woman.

"I asked you a question. What are you looking at?" he asked.

Garfield leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, hoping to deflect the alarming rush of pissed-off alpha testosterone that filled the car. The backhanded slap caught him at the side of his eye and over his nose. It knocked the air out of him and left him startled. It could've been seconds before the white explosion dulled from his eyes, but considering the same song was still on the radio, it was merely seconds. He pulled a shaky breath into his lungs, and then held his breath, waiting and hoping Mammoth would understand that he couldn't answer him. He could only answer his alpha. That's how the rules worked with Lobo.

"Shit," Mammoth growled, almost sounding pleased.

Garfield didn't dare look at him. He didn't dare move, but from the lights that sparked red and blue in the reflective side mirror, they had company. He pressed his back into the seat, wishing he could disappear.

Sickness rolled through his stomach at every sharp turn they took. It was dangerous on the street, with too many pedestrians unaware of the rushing sports car nearing eighty miles an hour. He wished the alpha thought to attach seatbelt. He knew better than to make such a brazen decision and clip his own seatbelt. Instead, he tried to brace himself and keep from sliding back into the alpha's massive bicep when they took another corner too fast.

oOo

Nightwing laid on top of something metal and hard, digging into his back. It took seconds to regain his breath and another few seconds to test the damage to his body by rolling off the examination table crushed under his body weight after the explosion. Nothing sharp pierced his suit or his body.

Plaster particles danced in the air. The hole in the wall was much larger than his body, though it helped that his weight managed to put the space there. He stretched his sides, testing for broken ribs. Again, he was lucky. The explosion stung. He could feel the heat of the exposure against his cheeks and neck. He looked down at the burnt pieces of his suit. Nothing vital was exposed. He touched his mask, relieved that it was still in place.

Wonder Woman stepped through the space in the wall. Behind her, the firefighters and nurses were rushing to the aid of anyone within the blast zone. Ash covered Wonder Woman's cheek, but she stood tall, proud and unharmed.

"Where is Slade?" he growled.

"He got away. There was nothing we could do," she said.

"That's a lie. He was outnumbered. We could easily have caught him," he said. Anger built in his gut. It made his skin crawl. He was aching for a fight and right now, he'd have it with anyone.

"You're going into a rut. It was a bad idea letting you do this," Wonder Woman said. She stepped back onto her side of the hole and he knew, before the dart hit him, that Garfield's very presence would stir his rut again and again.

He pulled the dart from his arm and prepared for a fight he was easily outnumbered by. "I can't sleep. I won't stop until I find him."

A second dart hit his chest. The sharp end made contact with his skin through the layers of his suit. He yanked it out too, determined to stay standing, but the world was spinning. It was pulling him down. He couldn't stop. Didn't they understand? He had to find Garfield. That was the only way to make everything better, for all of them, but mostly for himself and Garfield, his team mate.

oOo

"A little help, Gizmo," Mammoth said out loud.

"Help? You're actually asking for someone to help you? Thought you said you could get in and out without a problem. That's what you told Slade," a voice sassed from a voice box in the dashboard.

Garfield's attention drifted over the dashboard, but there didn't appear to be a camera. He'd have to inspect closer, but that was something he'd never dare.

"Gizmo," Mammoth warned. They took another corner fast enough to made the car spin, nearly missing a row of parked cars.

"Fine. You'll have your distraction in thirty seconds. Turn your car right at the next block."

Mammoth slowed a fraction of a second before turning the car down the road. The sirens were closing in. He slammed his foot back on the gas, but there was very little room between them and the police. Garfield sunk in his chair, wondering why they hadn't fired on the car yet, or brought out the road spikes. They should've done something, shouldn't they?

An explosion rocked the car forward. He could feel the earth shake despite being in a moving car. Mammoth let out a bellowing whoop of excitement. Hope died in Garfield's chest.

The giant alpha pulled in behind a building and got out. Despite the blackness of night without a streetlamp reflection, he watched Mammoth speak a few words to a stranger and point towards the car. Garfield drew his feet up under him. The soft booties on his feet would've been warmer if they weren't soaked and gritty from the street.

Mammoth came to his side of the car and yanked the door open. "Get out, bitch. I want to get back to the command before morning."

The cold wind made his skin prickle. He slowly drew himself from the car and Mammoth grabbed his arm, yanking him the rest of the way out. He tripped over his feet, landing hard in the dirt road. He winced at the scrap of rough turf against his skin.

Mammoth tilted his head and sniffed the air before jerking him upright. "You smell like a perfume factory. Alphas are going to smell you for miles."

He dragged his feet for a second to long before he was lifted up and onto Mammoth's shoulder. An open palm came down hard on his butt. The walk was short and he was thrown into the back of a taxi cab. Hope was short lived when he took a deep breath of air and realized the car smelled of another alpha, though a stranger this time. Two alphas in one car with an omega in heat?

"Took you long enough," the second alpha growled.

"We had a few complications, but it's been taken care of," Mammoth said.

The taxi cab pulled out of the lot and onto the road. Garfield curled in on himself, fighting for warmth as slick slid between his hips. Despite the heat in his belly, the rest of him was freezing.

oOo

It was the second dart that left Nightwing on all fours, determined to stay awake. He half expected another dart, not the three alphas standing around him. He snarled at Wonder Woman and Flash. His anger didn't quite reach boiling point with Batman. The alpha inside him had faith Batman wasn't a threat. That same alpha that wanted to rip Wonder Woman and Flash's head off was almost willing to share with Batman.

"Slade put the nanobots in Garfield. If we take Garfield with us in his current state, Slade will find any safe house we take him. We can't risk going after him until we figure out how to dispel the bots communication sensors with Slade," Batman said.

Nightwing snarled. The fierce vibration left his throat raw. "Cowards. I'll fight them until he's safe. I will not leave him with Slade."

It was the last thought that followed the heavy drug induced darkness.

oOo

Garfield bravely glanced over the faces in the room before dropping his attention to the floor. Logic from his heroic years didn't escape him. This wasn't headquarters to any alpha present. Slade wouldn't risk an ex-hero knowing important information; least that ex-hero got captured by someone who could force it out of them. Except no one understood his strong disposition on silence. It was the last strength he owned.

Slade separated himself from the small group of computer screens he'd been looking at over a much shorter alpha's shoulders. Gizmo still wore thick goggle glasses and was bald. His clothes were heavily padded.

"Good, you finally got here," Slade said, coming out from around the computers, but he didn't approach them. "I heard you had challenges."

"Nothing that couldn't be fixed," Mammoth said. He pulled Garfield in front of him and backed up.

Garfield glanced up long enough to see Slade's fist tighten. He didn't risk looking up at a masked face that would tell him nothing about how the alpha felt. Slade's scent was equally neutral.

"Present yourself, Garfield." It was a rough order.

Garfield swallowed hard as he sank to his knees. At the edge of his vision he saw Jinx and Mammoth. On the other end, Gizmo stared over his computer screens to watch. Heat rushed his cheeks. It filled every part of him, leaving his skin hot, except his frozen fingers and toes. The room was a mix of alpha scents, though Mammoth's scent dominated the room. He was only mildly interested. He'd always smelt alphas, but their dynamics never interested him. They'd never been part of his pizza eating, video gaming world.

He lifted his hips at Slade and let his head fall down between his arms. His shoulders ached from the amount of pressure it took to keep his hands pressed into the ground. His mind was swollen with worry, much like his shaft was swollen with blood. He'd never thought about shafts until he'd sat on Robin's lap, had felt the swelling largeness under his legs, but the thought of seeing it had been brief. Then Lust and Lobo's shaft and knots were always ready for him and he'd been forced to know more than he wanted about them. He was desensitized to them.

Now, after so many continuous nights with only two alphas, he was afraid again, at what the new alpha would be shoving into him.

"He's been trained and he's actually good at following orders. That's more than one could hopeful from a rogue omega," Gizmo said. The computer genus tapped away on the computer key board. It was the only steady sound in the room, soft and constant like rain tapping against the glass.

"This won't do," Slade said. "I don't want a trained omega. A trained omega is hardly fun."

"You were going to train him." Gizmo's voice turned catty again. "And Jesus, he's in heat. It's filling the room."

"Put a rubber knot in him and leave it. No one in attendance at this moment will knot him," Slade said.

Garfield shivered. He felt dirty, like an animal. His stomach ached and he dug his nails into the ground to keep from begging or thrusting his hips up. He glanced down between his legs. The lacy boy shorts kept his penis tucked up against his stomach. It was hard and his balls were drawn and tight. He'd come undone if anyone touched him now, but his mind focused on the blood mixed in the slick dripping down his sides. This was it for Lobo's baby. It could've been Lusts. He wasn't so sure with timing anymore. It all blurred.

His stomach clutched again and this time he whined, drawing his hips higher. His fingers ached as he dug them so deep into the ground that a sharp pain slid under his nails in warning. His nails would snap if he continued this.

"Get him fixed," Slade growled. "And give him a bath. I can't stand smelling Lobo on him. The alien reeks."

Garfield chocked on his growl. He wanted to preserve Lobo's scent. A hard smack on his ass jarred the direction of his thoughts. His new alpha wasn't going to have it.

Slade chuckled. "Maybe I am mistaken, Garfield. Maybe your animal spirit hasn't gone far."

With that, Slade walked out of the room. Garfield licked his dry lips and squeezed his eyelids shut. His eyes burned. A hard piece of rubber wasn't going to work on his heat. He was almost certain.

Gah! What was he going to do to get out of this?

oOo

"Are you any closer to disabling the bots?" Wonder Woman's voice came over the line.

Bruce watched the screen closely. The only way to understand the different functions with nanobots, was to watch them in action. The petri dish held over a few dozen bots, and each one reacted well with the different stimulation. Making them inactive was the real issue.

"We can take Garfield out of his situation as soon as we find Slade, but the bots are going to take time," Bruce said.

Nanorobotics lingered in a primitive research phase across the board with scientists who specialized in them. To have a working handle of nanorobotics at such an elite level capable of stunting ones bio-morphed cells, well, that was someone he'd want on his payroll. However; he was well aware of Mikron O'Jeneus's work and he couldn't afford to have someone like Gizmo anywhere near his labs.

Noise jingled through his computer speakers. Wonder Woman's voice followed the polite ping: "Incoming video from Slade. All alphas concerned in Garfield's safety have been notified."

Bruce reached across his keyboard and flipped a switch that allowed video feed from an outside source to come through. The split decision wasn't made on the side of caution. There was no time to go upstairs and get the computer he was willing to use. The protective ware on his computer system made it difficult to get video feed from unknown locations, but a few quick key strokes overwrote the security.

Slade sat in front of a camera with a carefully unadorned wall behind him. "Welcome heroes. I know you are looking for Garfield. I'll make it simple for you. He's in heat and I will be offering him to the highest bidder, or I might drop him naked in the middle of a highly populated park after notifying some of your closer adversaries. My only request is that Nightwing willingly hands himself over for the omega's safety or you can wait and see how Garfield's life unfolds from here. I will get a hold of you in three hours."

The video cut off and Bruce reached for his keyboard to try and trace the message via satellite. The bar code that came back was unreadable. The symbols held no distinguishable order. There were heavy gaps in the readout.

"I'll do it," Nightwing said from the cell he paced in. The high concentration of alpha testosterone tried to overpower the cave with little success. The cave was too vast to hold such condense scents.

"Contribute your thoughts when you have something rational to offer," Bruce growled. His protégé's scent was starting to make his head ache. He couldn't call Alfred to bring him pills. He wouldn't risk an omega, not even one as worldly as Alfred to deal with this.

"Slade will make him suffer." Nightwing gripped the bars and hissed.

"He will make you both suffer if he gets the chance," Bruce said. He flipped the switch again, allowing the large computer screen to house numerous smaller communication boxes. Each box held a familiar face from the Justice League. There were more present than the alphas who spoke for Garfield.

"How is Nightwing?" Wonder Woman asked over the radio silence.

The way the camera was set up, he was sure the others could see behind him where Nightwing went back to pacing. "In a rut and incapable of making decisions."

No one openly responded, but they understood what was on the line.

"We have three hours to put out our best laid plans before Slade gets a hold of us. This isn't the best idea, but we should consider using Nightwing as bait."

"I'll do it," Nightwing growled from his cell. "Put me in front of Slade. I will destroy him."


	12. Chapter 12

Nightwing couldn't stop pacing. Alpha aggression vibrated to the core of his bone. Every hair follicle stood on end. His nerves were frayed. He was exhausted by the pure amount of energy that radiated in his system. He smelled his mate. His mate was in heat.

"The suppressants will burn through your system fast while you're in a rut, so take them right before you walk into your situation and make it quick." Batman handed him a small, silver medicine packet. The pills inside the blister pack appeared huge. As if reading his thoughts, his mentor continued. "These melt quickly. They will give you clarity."

Nightwing nodded and pocketed the pills in the satchel he carried around his waist. Most of the emergency supplies were for Garfield. Batman handed him a slip of paper and he glanced over the thick penmanship. The address leads to the warehouse district.

"They aren't going to let you leave with Garfield," Batman said.

"I know." He could smell the testosterone emitting off his skin. He was hungry for his omega. His body pulsed with the desire to knot. His clothing was too tight. His skin was too hot. He should've known there was no way to work with the young omega without being imprinted on. His animal instincts screamed that Garfield had always been his.

"Slade wants you. Garfield's bait," Batman said.

Nightwing drew his night vision, riding goggles down over his eyes. His suit was barely contained his hardness. He'd been hard since the hospital. Garfield's heat affected every part of him. "We both know Slade will take every second of my absence out on Garfield. My conscious won't allow that."

"He is going to need a psychologist after this," Batman said.

Nightwing knew that too, but the quickest healing came from the alpha mate. He walked over to his bike, threw his leg over the seat and turned the key. The engine purred to life. The vibration stroked his balls, jolting his desire further. He didn't linger in thought on the heightened senses. The motorcycle wasn't the safest way to travel with an omega in heat, but it was the fastest. He shot out of the cave with one goal. It fueled his inner determination to keep his rut on lockdown until Garfield was safe.

The giant Northern Red Oaks and Silver Lenden trees hid the dirt road from aerial view. The back road joined a main road twelve miles out from the mouth of the cave. He didn't slow his motorcycle as he wheeled onto the empty paved road. The trees were cleared back, giving him a longer stretch of vision ahead and behind. There were no other car lights here, this late at night. The street wasn't private, but there were few homes this way, the Wayne Manor being one of them.

The trees cleared, showing the water's edge for another seven miles before the road joined the populated freeway. He moved between cars for another four miles. He knew every stretch of road in the city, which brought him to Darnek Street as his exit. It was a couple exits from his destination, which gave him a chance to make sure no one was following him. The only cars Darnek saw at night were from people looking for drugs or sex.

When it was apparent no one followed him off the road, he popped the blister pack open and chewed the chalky pills. He was still trying to swallow it down as he pulled back onto the street and took side roads. The pills left a layer at the back of his throat that saliva wouldn't wash away. He swallowed a few times, but found a lump in his throat. Anxiety. His mate was somewhere within the buildings that surrounded the industrial side of town. That aspect drove his inner alpha insane.

Garfield was a stranger to him, and back at the hospital, he could tell that Garfield felt the same towards him. Two years changed a lot between both of them. God help him. He didn't need to scare his omega.

The warehouse district had few streetlamps and even fewer vehicles. The building windows were black and mirrored the moon. It was ominous with too many places for Slade and his men to hide. He couldn't shake the gut feeling that he was being watched. He parked his bike and walked down the street until he found building G14 door 2078.

He rapped his knuckles against the door and waited. There was no answer. He caught the door and pushed it open, not surprised to find it unlocked. Omega hormones overpowered the room like a fruit scented candle. His mouth salivated. Despite the suppressants, his knot started to push at the base of his shaft. His system was burning through the medicine.

"Take off your utility belt and place it in the box." The order came from the speakers overhead. The moonlight pouring in from the window gave enough light to see the box in question.

He unclipped his utility belt and slid it into the metal box and closed it. A red light blinked in the corner. He was the subject of a voyeur audience. The thought made his stomach clench. Nothing good would come from this.

"Enter the second room," the voice ordered.

There was a shut door directly across from him. He had to walk around the built-in secretary desk that waited patiently for someone to occupy it. There was a layer of dust on the wood which meant it'd been a while since the office saw a residence. He walked past it, caught the door and pushed into another empty room.

"Take the armor off your clothes." The detached voice ordered.

He separated the hard shields from his chest, hips, forearms and shins at the door before entering the next room. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving him in utter darkness, except he wasn't alone. He held his breath to focus on the other person in the room, but they were holding their breath too. The smell of omega in heat bombarded his alpha senses.

"Garfield," he choked on desire. There was no response.

He remained where he stood, but it demanded every form of discipline etched into his cells from endless training. There was no movement to indicate where Garfield waited. Sweat rolled down his spine. This wasn't going to work. There was a change in Garfield's omega metabolic rate.

Fear. Desire. Heat… Anger. Garfield's scent controlled him.

"Garfield?" He tried again. If he didn't get his omega to calm down, his alpha rut would take control, pills be damned. Protect. Service. Breed. He had to center his thoughts. A rut would leave them both vulnerable.

The lights came on, brighter than the common bulb. He blinked against the burn it left in the back of his eye sockets. Garfield pressed his body against the corner of the room with his arms folded in front of his chest to ward off touch. Waiting on his knees, he watched with soulful, emerald green eyes. His jaw clenched shut; stubborn or scared, it was hard to gauge.

Lobo's scent didn't touch the room. Someone cleaned his omega. Someone touched his skin with water, soap and a rag. He wasn't happy about this, but he privately appreciated the clinical cleanness of his soon-to-be mate. It eased the competitive pressure at the back of his skull to scent every piece of Garfield's exposed flesh. His animal instincts translated an artificial sense of safety.

He faced one of the numerous cameras blinking at the corner of the room. The situation was dangerous. "What are the rules, Slade?"

"I will let you walk out with the omega right now, if you agree to being knotted on tape," Slade said.

Nightwing swallowed his immediate anger. Slade wanted to demean him. His inner alpha roared, unwilling to submit. Garfield made a soft mew sound in response to his emitting testosterone and his resolve instantly melted.

"Bending alphas is a special kind of kink, Slade. Psychologists would say you're suffering from emasculation issues."

Slade's chuckle was dry. "Before the night is over, we'll both have a new set of issues."

Nightwing flexed his hands into fists. He was ready to fight. He wasn't going to submit and get knotted. "You've lost your sense of creativity, Slade."

Slade's tone turned cold. "You've lost your ability to see the art in suffering. A knotted alpha would suffer greatly."

Garfield made the smallest, squeezed sound. He glanced over at the small omega and his shoulders went tight. Even if it was as simple as Slade made it, being locked in a knot would lead to greater consequences and he doubted Slade would stop at a simple fuck. It also made him wonder how many alphas soul-bonded with other alphas? Was that possible? It wasn't in the media, though he'd read a theorist article on the topic a few times during his research on the doctors that ran Arkham Asylum. Was Slade aware of the theory that proven true in the inmates that formed these bonds?

"How do I know you'll keep your word?" he asked. If Slade soul-bonded with him, the chemical bond brought on by knotting would force him to accept Slade as the superior alpha. He refused to accept this.

"Find faith," Slade answered.

The doors opened and Mammoth walked in first with Gizmo behind him. The shorter alpha held an injection gun; no doubt a sedative. Slade was going to find his happy ending.

"Slade said you want a knot," Mammoth teased.

"As much as I want to be decapitated," he growled.

Mammoth smiled. "It would be an honor to help you with that."

Nightwing weighed his options in a fight. The negative to each scenario ended with Garfield dead, or worse, sold into a milk bar or puppy mill. He wasn't sure who planned to humiliate him, but Mammoth and Gizmo didn't undress.

"I'd let you do this dry, without the drugs, but Slade believes you're going to be difficult," Gizmo said. He made a movement with his fingers signaling the larger alpha and Mammoth lunged forward.

Nightwing braced his legs, ready for the oncoming fight. He wasn't leaving Garfield behind, which complicated matters and left him susceptible. Mammoth slid his belt from his jeans and snapped it towards him. Nightwing jerked out of the way as the belt cracked the air.

Mammoth slapped the belt at him again and he raised his arm, letting the heavy metal buckle wrap around his wrist. The pain was excruciating without his arm guards to block the vibration. He yanked back and the belt slid from Mammoth's grip, but the force didn't pull the man off balance. The large alpha howled with determination.

They tackled into each other with enough force to blow the air from his unguarded chest. Mammoth got him on his back; his bear-paw grip and sizeable weight pinned Nightwing to the tile floor.

Garfield screamed. It was the only warning he had before he felt the pinch of the needle. Large hands grasped his arms before he could jerk away. His clothes were wet from the spilled liquid.

"Relax your mind, kiddo," Gizmo said. The young genius's hands were shaky when he pulled back. The closeness afforded him a waft of a strangely familiar scent. The two alphas in the room smelled a lot like each other.

"Is that what happened to you Gizmo? You got soul-bonded with this alpha?" He asked. His mouth instantly felt heavy. From the strange look Gizmo gave him, he realized what he thought and what he said were two different things.

Mammoth swung him up high enough to slam him back down. Pain shot through the back of his head and cleared the sedative effects for mere seconds before he slid back into a slow, ebbing paralysis. He had a thousand angry taunts in his head for Slade, but his mouth wouldn't move. He stared at the ceiling taking in Garfield's scent. Instead of comfort, it made him restless.

He strongly sensed Garfield's overwhelmed vibes, but he was trapped in his body; locked in his mind. Mammoth leaned over him and Gizmo stood to the other side, blocking the light overhead. He blinked, but the process felt like it left him in darkness too long.

"We need to go before the Justice League gets here," Slade said over the speaker. "Bring the omega to remind Nightwing to be compliant."

oOo

Garfield waited in the corner with his lower body pulsing, craving a knot, but the crushing sense of danger kept him from begging. He watched the vigilante place himself at the center of the room, determined not to let the other alphas get closer.

The vigilante knocked the large alpha on his back with shift speed. The excitement shot straight through Garfield's spine into his gut. The vigilante was a strong alpha. He swallowed the lump suck in his throat, but it didn't go anywhere. He could mate with the vigilante. He could have babies, but would he stay with him? He missed Lobo.

But then the vigilante went down hard. From where Garfield waited, he could hear the heavy thud of his head hitting the ground. It was a violent fight that ended too quickly with the contraption in Gizmo's hand. The vigilante went quiet, but the slickness of his suit showed a very gorgeous and heavy bulge in his pants.

"Move it," Gizmo ordered. He kept his distance and a hand up at his nose indicating he didn't like the omega scent leaking between Garfield's thighs.

Garfield glanced at him quickly, and then fought to get his leg muscles under control so he could move behind Mammoth who waited for them. The young vigilante's head was tossed back. His black hair fell over Mammoth's arm, but there was nothing feminine about him. Another alpha couldn't be pleased with his strong, square jaw and broad shoulders.

Mammoth moved through the rooms and Garfield followed behind him. When they made it outside, the cold air brushed against his face, but did little for the ache in his gut. He kept a hand on his stomach; pressed back against the pain with his fingertips, but he couldn't motivate the ache to go away.

They got to the helicopter waiting on a patch of dirt. Mammoth got in first and it took Garfield effort to climb in when his entire body was ready to shut down. The roving blades made the air thrum loudly. He raised a hand to his ears and watched as the alphas put heavy headphones over their ears. Gizmo argued with the pilot and finally threw a pair at Garfield. He stared at them for a second before pulling them on, and Mammoth pulled a pair over the vigilante's ears. Garfield hugged himself.

Nightwing. Was that familiar? It should be… He was drawn to the alpha. He wanted to be held down and fucked by that bulge in his pants. He wanted to scream until he lost his voice.

The helicopter rose and his stomach dipped, momentarily making him disregard his heat. They were up in the air within minutes. There was no sign of the Justice League, which left his torn. He didn't want to go back with them. They took Lobo. They meddled in his life and now he was in another unfamiliar place and his heat made it impossible to find solace without a knot.

But without the Justice League, they were under Slade's thumb. The vigilante was in trouble. His own future was now indefinite.

"We need to do something with the omega. His scent is offensive," Gizmo complained.

Tension tightened in Garfield's shoulders. Here it came; trouble. He forced himself not to glance over at them though he felt their eyes on the back of his head.

"Get over it," Mammoth growled. "This is going to be done quickly and the two will be thrown out to the wolves."

What were they planning to do? Garfield shifted in his chair, glancing over at the immobile alpha. His long, brawny legs took up a good portion of the space. He wasn't built like a walking tree trunk, like Mammoth, but he was taller than Gizmo who was short and lithe.

They landed on top of an enormous building, one that he wasn't sure anything short of a satellite would pick up the landing pad. With great trepidation, Garfield slid from his seat in the helicopter and followed the alphas inside. There was a team of alphas waiting for them, some of which made his skin crawl. In his youth, when he could fight these alphas, he had a semblance of being untouchable. Now, he knew as an omega, he'd never been as strong. His body was meant to provide. He was nothing short of a servant.

"Take Nightwing and ready him for the medical procedure," Slade said, stepping out of a room he'd been waiting in. He turned his masked face onto Garfield. "You're going to do what I say because if you don't, you will easily be killed and we'll do this procedure on Nightwing the hard way."

Garfield dropped his chin to his chest and bowed his shoulders. It was the best he could do to show his compliance. The room smelled heavily of alphas, but very few of them smelled on the verge of a rut. The alpha with the strongest rut scent was taken into a medical room.

Why did this alpha come for him? Someone that cared… Damn. He didn't want anyone to care. Not anymore. He was just an omega.

"You will get him to fuck you," Slade said. "He will need to knot and lock into you. I know you understand, having been bred."

It was a failed breeding. The weight of his lost pup left him exhausted, but his heat wouldn't let him rest and now, the strange environment and an alpha threatening to kill him didn't help matters. He nodded again.

"Get the omega in the holding room. Contact me when Nightwing is ready," Slade said.

oOo

Nightwing startled awake on a white bed. The sheets were overly starched and too crisp to find relaxing… to medical. He'd woken up in Alfred's medical room more than a handful of times. He drew a hand to his forehead and realized the only thing he wore was his mask. Shit.

The bed dipped. He raised his hand to stop the lighter body that was crawling up on him. Even in his state of confusion, he knew Garfield was in the room with him. He took a deep breath of the aphrodisiac that came from Garfield's heat scent.

Garfield shivered and clutched a hand at his stomach. He remained wordless, but his breathing was swallow and ragged. It wasn't common for an omega in heat to be so quiet. Nightwing drew a hand over Garfield's arm and the omega leaned in closer. His fingers tightened on his shoulders.

"Please, alpha," Garfield begged, yet he kept his head tilted downward and eyes focused on Nightwing's chin.

Nightwing gritted his teeth. He meant to wait, but the word alpha coming from those perfect lips, the lips of a team mate, his best friend, the person he tried to ignore every bonding dream he ever had about, made it impossible. He pulled Garfield against him and with a hand under his chin, drew his face upward to meet his mouth.

"Garfield, I want to do right by you," he whispered. "Do you want me as your alpha?"

"Please, alpha, please," the begging was sensual, almost rehearsed.

Dick's heart broke that Garfield ignored the question, but his knot was already pressing at the base of his cock. It was starting to form. He could still press it in and lock himself with the small omega, but claiming… He had to make sure he didn't go that far.

"I can't bond without your consent and if we knot, I'm not going to want anything less afterwards. You're mine, body, mind and soul. You need to truthfully want that with from me as well because it would drive me mad if you didn't." He'd be as big a monster as the creatures he dragged to the asylum.

Tightness lingered at the edge of Garfield's eyes, but it was fleeting. For the briefest moment, he almost felt like Garfield was confused, then relieved. As if that unspoken word would've been, "Promise?"

He swallowed. Jesus. He hadn't imagined it. There was something there, warring inside Garfield's head. It was alive, but it needed a spark.

When he touched Garfield again, the omega melted into him. He drew Garfield up his body and the omega wrapped his legs around his center. He wanted to breathe every bit of the scent in. He wanted to roll in it and mark Garfield up. He kept a strong hold on his alpha instincts. It was nearly impossible. The suppressants were burnt from his system.

He glanced around the room. There were cameras in the corner. The Justice League wouldn't let him wake up in a room without knowing what was happening, would they?

"Alpha," Garfield begged, drawing his attention. He kissed along Nightwing's chin, but the kisses were light and uncertain.

"Where are we Garfield?" He asked.

The omega continued to ignore his questions as he scooted back, pulling the covers with him. Garfield wrapped his lithe fingers around his alpha shaft. He leaned back, watching the beautiful, pale green skin trying to get a handle on his thickness. His purple veins protruded with blood making his cock massive in that beautiful omega hold. Garfield's other hand dipped lower, handling his ball sac. Again, the attention was hesitant.

He caught Garfield's hand, stopping him. "Garfield, do you know who I am?"

Garfield didn't meet his gaze. Instead, he bent down and licked the tip of the alpha penis in his hand. The touch of his velvet tongue against his slit drove Dick nuts. He threw his head back and took a deep breath. He fisted his fingers in the sheets to keep from pulling Garfield down and licking his slick up his leg and straight to his hot hole.

That mouth was too small to take all of him in. Garfield used his fist to take up the space his mouth couldn't handle. His mouth was a hot suction. His tongue licked the bottom of his shaft, tracing the purple veins with his tongue. It took a will-power he was quickly losing, especially when Garfield's fist hit the knot resting at the base of his cock among his nest of dark curls.

"Garfield, do you know who I am?" he tried again. Garfield leaned down, trying to suck him off again. He held a firm grasp on the omega.

"Don't," Garfield whispered. Tears stung his eyes, making the emerald green shimmer in the light. "Alpha, please, no."

No? No sex? No knot? Or no, he didn't want to know who he was? His stomach dipped for the wrong reasons and the situation felt intrusive and wrong. Why would his mate not want to know who he was?

"Garfield," he caught Garfield's chin when the omega refused to look at him, and held his face up to meet his. "Garfield, it's me. I'm Robin."

Garfield's eyes darted to his face once before they were back down, but not at him. This time Garfield was reaching for the sheets to hide his nudity. He got through to the omega, but his sudden behavior was more than surprising.

"Do you trust me?" Nightwing asked.

Garfield nodded, but still wouldn't look at him. He wanted more than anything for the mouthy green omega to sass him like their older days. He wanted to be lectured on all the shit he thought was stupid and pointless when they were roommates. He wanted to hear Garfield rant against his alpha meat eating habits and the survival of even the smallest species.

"Where are we?" he tried again.

"Please, alpha, please," Garfield said. He moved in again, trying to push at his shoulders, but it didn't budge him.

He caught Garfield around the shoulders and twisted them into a new direction. Garfield's legs automatically pressed together and like the perfect Christmas present, Dick parted Garfield's legs and slid down against the bed to lick at the clear fluid that made his inner thighs wet. Garfield moaned and the muscle in his legs relaxed. His sac was so much smaller than an alpha's; small enough to barely get in the way when he licked the slick and peered up at the omega enjoying the treatment. His much smaller cock was hard as a rock, but lacked the purple veins an alpha had.

He pressed his tongue in as deep as it would go through the tight ring of muscle and Garfield's back bowed. He repeated it and Garfield cried out. His tiny ball sack tightened and a clear liquid squirted from his cock slit, wetting his soft stomach. Nightwing slid up between Garfield's legs and licked at the wetness on his stomach. It was just as sweet, a mix of Garfield's sexually mature body. God he dreamt about this too many times. It made him feel less like a leader and more like a sexual deviant, but now Garfield needed him and he realized the bond they already had was strong enough to see this through.

"Garfield, where are we?" he tried again.

"Alpha," Garfield swallowed hard and shook his head. A few stray tears streaked down his temples into his hairline as he tried to avoid meeting his eyes. Dick caught the omega's chin and forced him to meet his gaze. His emerald eyes were wide; horrified. "Slade."

"For the safety of everyone in the room, you will go ahead and mate with the omega," Slade said.

Nightwing was up off the bed and standing with his legs braced. He thought they were back with the Justice League, though in his gut, he'd always known something was wrong.

Garfield moved from the bed too, falling at Nightwing's thighs, ready to suck him off again. He caught the omega's shoulders to stop him and Garfield immediately swung around and presented himself to Nightwing. His thighs were wet with slick. His pink hole was slick and the muscle winked.

Dick was in motion before he could stop himself. His hands were on Garfield's hips and his mouth was on the omega's lower spine. He licked and sucked at his tailbone while he fingered the tight hole. It wasn't so tight like it had been when Garfield was a virgin, but it was tight enough to need special treatment. He sucked on Garfield's spine until the omega's body jerked from another orgasm. He slid a hand around his stomach and held the omega while his body shivered.

"Alpha, please," Garfield pleaded.

Everything inside him said to fight the desire. Fight it, or he would knot the little omega and they'd both be in danger, but the room smelled too good. He pulled his finger out of Garfield and grasped his shaft. It was wet with salvia as he guided it into his babe's waiting channel. Garfield hissed from the pressure that pushed back, making the mating a small challenge. The muscle finally relented, allowing his mushroom head to breach through. He wanted to ask, to make sure this was okay, but he was too far gone and slipping.

When he slid all the way in, Garfield's walls hugged him. The muscle was pushing back, grasping and at the same time trying to purge him from his body. He pulled out to the tip before pushing back in. Garfield made a breathless plea.

God help him, his balls were drawing up with the desire to spurt. His knot was growing thicker, catching at Garfield's hole with each inward thrust. Every little sound the omega made only encouraged it. He pulled Garfield to the bed and landed back on top of him with the omega now facing him. Garfield stared at his chest with heavy lids. His mouth was open as he gasped for air at every push.

His knot latched, forcing him deep. Garfield's legs rested around his hips and their movements were stilted, but no less perfect. Garfield screamed, grasping the sheets and thrusting his head back. His tiny penis spurted. The sight sent desire shooting straight through his balls and unraveled in his stomach. He pushed deep once, twice and the third time his balls drew up. Liquid heat pushed through his body, rolling up his spine and into his brain. He was locked and mating.

He leaned in, placing a hand at the back of Garfield's head, wrapping his fingers through the hair at the base of his neck and forcing the omega to tilt his neck. He placed a soft kiss on his collar bone and the omega cried out, wanting more, begging for it with his hips. Dick drew back his lips and caught Garfield's skin between his teeth. Another orgasm ripped through his body as his sac released more sperm into Garfield's body. He bit down, and Garfield's nails dug into his skin as he accepted the mate mark.

The door opened and Mammoth was there, watching. Nightwing released Garfield's neck and the omega sunk peacefully into the sheets, unaware of their intruder. He growled low in warning.

"Settle down, Nightwing," Slade said over the intercom. "You should be happy we let you have one more go with your omega before you became a eunuch and bound to an alpha."

Nightwing made a small warning movement at the intruder, but it only served to warn him that he was locked to Garfield and if the knot was ripped out, he would permanently damage the omega. The motion woke Garfield and the omega immediately clung to him, his face buried into Dick's pectorals. His nails nearly dug into his skin, trying to keep them as close as possible, or maybe the omega was falling for his base instincts, knowing the alpha would protect him.

Mammoth laughed again. "Fine, we'll do this the easy way."

He stepped over to a vent and opened it, then did the same for another. Gas hissed into the room as Mammoth stepped out. Nightwing tried to move, but the knot was a firm reminder. Garfield's hands slipped from his skin and he caught the small omega who was already falling asleep again. He tried holding his breath, determined not to fall under the spell, but it only made him gasp, drawing it in quicker. He tried to stay awake. He tried to fight the effects.

He tried…

He failed…

He went under…


	13. Chapter 13

Waves of mind shattering pain centered at the junction of his ass, startled Garfield awake. The world spun as his eyes tried to adjust to the well-lit, sparse room. It was the same room Mammoth dragged him into with Nightwing… Robin. He swallowed, glancing behind him at the men probing their connection.

"His knot is fully dilated. He's a big one, good mating stud. I estimate three injections to chemically castrate the knot followed with three additional injections within the following week," a man said at Garfield's bottom.

Garfield shifted his weight to escape the touch, even as the men pulled his hips to test the connection. Blood drained from his head with every painful yank. He gasped, but the scream was stuck in his throat. He grabbed onto Nightwing's broad shoulders. The vigilante's eyes were shut behind his fitted mask.

_Jesus… wake up! Wake up! _

He dug his fingers into Nightwing's shoulder, immediately regretting it. He knew better than to touch an alpha without expressed consent; permission only came when Lobo wanted to be jerked off.

"The omega is panicking," a second man stated.

He gasped for breath, taking in the betas' scent. His muscles seized when they tried to force him up again, checking the conjoined flesh between his thighs.

"Slade made it clear that our only concern is for the alpha," the first man stated.

Pain stole his vision and strength. He went down hard, hitting his forehead on the alpha's very solid chin. The solid body under him started to stir. He pulled himself upright long enough to see jet-black hair brush against the vigilante's corded shoulders. He was waking up and Garfield had hurt him, no doubt when he fell forward.

"The alpha is awake," the second man announced to the room with clinical shrewdness. There were more bodies coming into the room, filling the small space with the dueling scent of alpha testosterone.

"Have the anesthesiologist sent in right away," the first beta announced. "Stay calm and console your alpha." The last order was growled into Garfield's ear.

He glanced at the two beta men dressed in white lab coats. There were four alphas, one of which was Mammoth, dressed in blue scrubs. Impending fear made his stomach bottom out. He raised his hand to slap Nightwing and a hand caught his wrist with crushing pressure.

"What a defiant little omega you are," the second beta said. He was middle-aged and lean under his white lab coat. The man's dark eyes lacked compassion. "I can surgically remove this hand without anesthesia."

A much larger hand gripped the doctor's wrist as Nightwing sat up. "Release him."

The growl vibrated straight into Garfield's chest. He wasn't sure where to put his hands because Lobo never allowed him to touch, not even to balance himself when he had an alpha cock jammed down his throat. Garfield pressed his hands into the table, even as Nightwing's free hand possessively splayed over his tailbone. Smaller orgasms were rippling through the vigilante, and with each one that made the knot pulse and his balls release sperm; it triggered a stronger reaction in him. He was being bred. This should've brought tremendous endorphins to calm his frazzled nerves, but the overwhelming smell of testosterone kept him edgy.

"This situation has become sloppy, doctor." Slade's articulate voice came over the speaker.

"Thank god, the anesthesiologist is here. Hold the alpha down," the first beta ordered.

Garfield tried to stay focused, though Nightwing's grip made his omega senses more than willing to throw caution to the wind. The alpha's biceps were flexed, locking him against a wall of warm, hard muscle. He leaned in, sniffing at Nightwing's collar before he realized what he was doing and the vigilante's hand dropped to his hip, gently guiding the soft roll of their hips, milking the seed in an attempt to comfort him with the use of his alpha knot. It was working. Damn… but it was working.

"I dare you to try and inject me." The threat changed the scent in the room. The betas were scared.

Mammoth chuckled. "What can you do to us? You won't risk hurting your omega with any sudden movement."

Nightwing didn't respond. His breathing was shallow; his hand at Garfield's back was no longer holding him so close. He was getting ready to fight. The vigilante nudged him in a silent command. "Garfield."

Garfield wrapped his legs around Nightwing's waist and slid his arms up over his broad shoulders and linked his fingers behind his neck. He closed his eyes, determined not to let this unsubtle him. Lobo lacked protective instincts, but Robin… he remember too strongly the way Robin's hands had tentatively touched him when they were younger. He shouldn't have ran… right? But he wasn't so sure.

Nightwing's heart remained calm until his arm suddenly jolted out, catching someone's wrist and twisting it. The movement brought his legs over the side of the table and the movement twisted the knot inside Garfield's body. He gritted his teeth. He wouldn't scream. The pain was sheering heat through his body, but he felt worse.

Nightwing was shoved back and the movement jerked their connected bodies. Nightwing hissed, kicking at someone at one end and holding onto the arms of someone at the other end. The narrow bed left too much of Nightwing's body off the table and at a weird enough angle, he was at a disadvantage. If the alphas pressed too hard, they could injure his spine.

Garfield sat upright, clawing at the person directly ahead of him. A fist decked his jaw. Light exploded behind his eyelids and the world spun. He licked his numb lip, familiar with the taste of blood. Nightwing tightened under him, ready to spin out of the grip, but he couldn't. Another alpha came in and this one had one hand on Nightwing's chest, holding him down and the other had Garfield by the hair at the nap of his neck.

"Stupid little omega. The only thing that will touch you after today will be my hunting dogs." His grip tightened until Garfield gasped. It made the alpha chuckle.

"This is taking too long, pull him off," the beta ordered.

The alpha switched his grip from Garfield's hair to his waist. The fingers dug straight to the bone. He should fight. Some very dark, hidden place within him said this was a fighting moment. The old Garfield would fight. Instead, he screamed when the man jerked him upright. The knot tugged so hard at his opening that the gush of heat between his thighs could've been blood. A string of expletives escaped Nightwing's lips. There were two alphas holding his arms and one behind them, squeezing the vigilante's thighs down into the table.

There were louder screams in the hallway and the fire alarm started blaring. The lights went out and the red light above the door switched on, casting everyone in a blood-like glow.

"What's going on?" Mammoth asked. There was no response from anyone, including Slade.

"Abort mission," the anesthesiologist immediately said, pulling back.

The alpha that held Garfield by the waist, grabbed the anesthesiologist by her arm and dragged her back. "Finish this, bitch."

She was small enough to slip between the numerous alpha's holding Nightwing down. The vigilante hissed. The anesthesiologist was shaking. Garfield understood that fear. The tremor was right under his skin and he couldn't control it. The needle pressed into Nightwing's bare skin when the door slammed open. The woman jerked down between the alphas.

"What the fuck is this?" Mammoth growled, leaving Nightwing's side. The other alphas followed suit to face the people who were now coming through the door. There were only three of them, but they were big.

Garfield tentatively grabbed the injection and pulled the long needle from the vigilante's bicep. Nightwing was in motion too, wrapping his arm around Garfield and pulling him closer. In the dark, it was difficult to tell how much liquid went into him, but from the much lighter pressure to the alpha's touch, it was safe to say he was exposed to the anesthesia.

"You're okay," Nightwing whispered.

The sound of fists hitting solid flesh quieted. Garfield clenched his jaw to keep it from shuddering, but failed miserably. He peeked through the long strands of his hair as Nightwing rubbed gentle circles over his spine. This was nice. Too nice. He didn't want this. He wanted to be beat and starved, called names and spanked until the welts split and he was bleeding.

This felt dangerously like affection. He hated affection.

His alpha nuzzled under his jaw and he tilted his neck, allowing it. The other alphas were talking around him, when teeth grazed along his skin. The feel of a warm mouth on his pulse made his stomach tighten. Pleasure rippled through his stomach and his much smaller cock, caught between them, released its warm, impotent liquid.

"Are you in pain?" Nightwing asked.

Garfield opened his mouth and promptly shut it. Was he going to answer? It was a direct question. He thought about it for a second and wished greatly the alpha would focus on himself. Nightwing's fingers never let up as they pushed gently at his lower spine, massaging him as the pulsing knot gave him his own, much softer orgasm.

"Garfield," Nightwing said.

Garfield nodded. There was pain from when the men pulled on him, but it was mixed with the pleasure of the knot pulsing against his over stimulated nerve endings.

"We can give him something," Wonder Woman said, coming into the room. Her dark black hair fell over her shoulders. He quickly lowered his eyes when he realized she was staring back. "What about you? Any pain?"

"I feel bruised like I was squeezed in a vise," Nightwing answered.

Garfield buried his head against Nightwing's shoulder, peeking out through his hair as Batman shined a light in Nightwing's eyes. Nightwing allowed it, but no one tried to touch them.

oOo

The slightest movement brought nausea. It was the gas he inhaled, Nightwing was sure. The smell of Garfield's distress had woken him, followed by immeasurable pain. Now the adrenaline was leaving his blood stream and he was nothing but exhausted.

"What took you so long?" he growled while the others talked around him. They were trying to find the best way to move him without disturbing his connection with Garfield.

"They had an underground exit that lead three miles out from the district, but had numerous openings. We overextended our help in the search," Batman explained. He leaned over the unconscious alphas and snapped zipper cuffs on them.

"Slade?" Nightwing asked.

"Gone," Batman said.

"Do you know what he wanted?" Superman asked.

Nightwing frowned. "He wanted to alpha-alpha bind me. I've read papers on the process."

Another pulsing pleasure shivered through him and he rolled his hips to milk the sensation and give Garfield his full knot. Garfield clenched at him and he wandered if this was hurting the omega after the alphas had tried to pull them apart. He could feel the flutter of Garfield's pulse with their chests pressed together. It mirrored the shallow, scared breathes from his omega's lips. He continued to rub his back.

"We need to get somewhere secure," Batman said.

"Slade will try this again. As long as the nanobots are in Garfield's system, Slade will always know his location," Wonder Woman said.

"I have specialists working around the clock on this. Until then, this should help scramble Slade's ability to receive feed." Batman held a very petite black collar. The studs looked decorative, but since there was nothing more to it, the studs had to be the technology.

The orgasms stopped as his knot deflated, tucking back into his body, and his semi-hard cock allowed enough space between their connection to allow dubious amounts of come to warm their thighs. He continued to rub the omega's spine, but with the endorphins brought on by copulation slowly releasing him from his one track mind, he was incredibly aware that he held a broken omega. Garfield was never this silent. He also wouldn't have been happy with anyone witnessing something as natural as a mating session.

"Slade's still an issue," Superman said.

Nightwing's chest tightened, both for Garfield and for what he'd been minutes away from facing. Slade was willing to make him a submissive alpha. Garfield didn't move first, so he lifted the omega's hips high enough to let his cock pull out. "I need to check you."

Garfield didn't immediately lean back until the gentle encouraging push set him in motion. The omega kept his eyes tightly shut and his legs squeezed until Nightwing coaxed them open. Batman offered his light and the brightness reflected against Garfield's pink, swollen omega-hood that was starting to turn into a plum purple bruise around the hole.

"What's the issue?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Bruised, but his muscle isn't torn around his cache," Nightwing said.

Superman stood in the doorway talking with others. From where he stood, he could only smell the semen and slick from their mated bodies and the off-putting scent of alpha testosterone. He took the scrub pants offered him and slid them over his waist, tying them off at his hips. He raised an eyebrow when Wonder Woman offered him a syringe. The red light reflecting off the liquid, made it look orange.

"This will keep your rut in check while we're all in close proximity with your omega. We can't afford a fight in the jet," Wonder Woman said.

"I have anesthesia in my system. I don't need anything else and I'm not going to risk falling asleep while he is clearly upset." Nightwing threw a hand towards the omega who had his legs closed again, but hadn't bothered to sit up. "Clothes."

Batman was ahead of him, offering him another pair of scrub pants and a scrub top. Dressing Garfield was like dressing a living doll. He didn't offer to help, but he took silent directions well when parts of his body were tapped to indicate he needed to left his feet into the pants then lift his hips up so the pants could be drawn up his waist. Garfield sat up and allowed the top to be pulled over his head. He looked less vulnerable naked. He looked like the old Garfield, if it weren't for how long his hair was and how thin he'd gotten.

Garfield tried very hard not to look at any of them. Nightwing placed medical booties on the omega's feet and fought the desire to carry him out of the room, bridal style. The omega hugged himself and pressed his thighs together as if that would protect him from the room of alphas.

"Come on, Garfield," Nightwing lightly tapped Garfield under his chin. The emerald green eyes caught his for a second before he looked down and blushed.

His omega slid off the table, but stayed close to it with one hand on the bed to steady himself. He would need to go to the medical room to make sure nothing more was wrong with him. Nightwing took the moment to kiss Garfield on the top of his head, then his nose, the side of his gentle jaw and down to his neck where he gave it a very soft nip. Garfield sighed with content.

"This is temporary," Nightwing promised, as he pulled the collar around Garfield's neck and clicked it shut. The collar was very delicate and thin around Garfield's swan-like neck.

He kept his hand at the omega's lower back, guiding him, though he wasn't sure where they were. Garfield walked incredibly close to him. When they'd been teammates, he noticed Garfield would do the same, but Garfield would catch this behavior and quickly adjust, giving them space.

When they were in Wonder Woman's large jet, Nightwing sat next to his omega and placed a hand on Garfield's knee for a mere second before pulling back and gauging. He'd always wanted to be close to Garfield, but this didn't feel right. The omega's nervous energy was setting off his alpha alarms; leaving him equally chaotic in both his mind and body.

The fuselage lights dimmed when the jet engines roared to life. The seats were set up so the passengers could face each other. There was two feet of space between them, allowing someone to walk up the path if needed, but it barely kept long legs from entangling and alphas weren't one to touch. The group gave him wider space than usual, since his omega was onboard. Garfield hugged himself and kept his eyes trained on the ground.

Nightwing's instincts were to protect, but not to nurturer. It took him a moment to realize Garfield wasn't going to latch himself in the belts, and he had to do it for him. The omega sat with a doll-like stiffness. He barely breathed while Dick reached across him to connect the various parts of the belt.

The air in the chamber buzzed as the doors went airtight. The oxygen filter hissed, making his ears ring in the silence. He settled back into his seat and fixed his eyes on the crew. A small percentage of the Justice League was going back to headquarters with Wonder Woman.

He tried not to think about what he barely survived. The alphas had one up on him. A second too late and he wasn't sure what would've been left of him. He cleared his throat and caught Batman's eyes. "I think it would be best for Garfield if you mated with him immediately."

"Do you think this is the best time to discuss these matters? You're still in a rut." His dark eyes were emotionless.

"Slade is relentless. If…" the experience was still too vivid. He swore as an alpha, after his parents were killed in front of him that he would never be a victim to his emotions, but Garfield was his weakness. He estimated seconds between the moment he almost went into the procedure as a bonded alpha, and the Justice League coming in to save them. "He'll be back. He's clever. I would like Garfield to have at least two established relationships just in case."

"If I do this, he will be as much my omega as yours. I'll ask that you bring him to visit on a regular basis if you chose not to move back into the manor," he said.

Garfield's fingers tightened on the belt. This was the best for him, even if he wasn't aware of it.

"Yes, we will move back in," Nightwing said.

"Will you be present for the bonding?" Batman asked.

"Not the first one, but I would want to be present for the rest of his heat. We can work out the schedule before his next heat. I'd also like to get him adjusted again. I don't want an omega this enthused to an outdated traditionalist lifestyle."

"Agreed," Batman said.

oOo

There were seven alphas present in the cozy self-service dining room. The room was warm and food sat on the table, but Garfield refused to take a seat. He remained on the ground, leaning back on his heels with his hands clasped behind his back and looking straight ahead. The subservient omega poise was heartbreaking to witness on a former Teen Titan.

"This is ridiculous," Dick complained. He showered first to get the smells off him body, but now he was starving. The fact that Garfield refused to eat was a mood killer.

The small omega showered with him, but he had to do the work cleaning Garfield. When they got out, he put lotion on his ex-teammate whose personality went back to that of a porcelain, emerald eyed doll. Garfield now wore an old, gray pair of sweats that Dick outgrew. They had to fold the waist down so it would fit the omega's lean hips. Even pregnant for that short amount of time, his hips hadn't widened yet.

"He's exchanged numerous hands in the last couple of days. We need to tread lightly. We have no idea how extensive his training was," Wonder Woman said.

Flash immediately leaned forward in his seat and talked with the fork in his hand, though he hadn't touched the food yet. "I've read about that. Omegas trained in severe situations come back with post traumatic stress disorders if their environments change too rapidly."

"I'd feel better if we stopped talking around him like he's an inanimate object," Dick growled. He squatted in front of Garfield. Despite all the people they helped in a day, he never ran into an omega. There wasn't a variety of omega specialists he could reach out too, though he knew two at the college. He inwardly sighed. If Garfield's environment couldn't change too quickly, fine, he'd try to replicate what he knew about Lobo.

"Garfield, get your ass to the table," he growled.

Garfield blinked, startled, then stood and walked to the table, careful not to look at anyone. He took his seat and sat on his hands. It wasn't much, but he could work with this. He hoped.

… except, the only way to get Garfield to eat was to feed him. There shouldn't have been pleasure there, but the alpha inside him purred with the pure unadulterated power he had over the omega. It was wrong; so, so wrong. He would work harder to get Garfield back to himself.

oOo

Garfield watched as Bruce pulled his shirt over his head, exposing rock solid abs and the corded muscles along his shoulders. The philanthropist pulled his black suit pants and tight, black boxers down, exposing a very alpha penis, already semi-erect, and firm, muscular thighs.

Garfield's breathe hitched. This was so wrong. Bruce Wayne was going to claim him. It was bad enough that Dick had gone too far and tied himself down. Did they not understand? He never wanted to be such a wanton creature. He wanted to be a hero and being around heroes reminded him of what was taken from him.

"Hey, Garfield," Bruce's voice was gentle as he lightly cuffed him under the chin with his finger. "Are you trying to bite through your lip?"

Garfield opened his eyes, realizing with a start that he'd been squeezing them shut. His lower lip ached from the pressure he pressed into the skin with his teeth, but there was no blood. He would've tasted it. His heat was crawling miserably up his spine. His lower stomach ached with need and he knew how to quiet it.

Bruce was calm and he appreciated that. The alpha's endorphins made everything inside his head buzz. He felt drunk on the scent. Garfield remained on the ground with his arms clasped behind his back, waiting. Bruce's methodical traits brought him comfort.

The alpha had his back to him as he folded his clothes and placed them on the plush chair. Garfield found himself staring at the smooth ripple of muscle beneath warm bare skin. Bruce turned, catching him staring. Garfield immediately lowered his eyes as heat rushed against his face.

Bruce chuckled and the low-key rumble made his heart flutter with anticipation. The alpha sat on the bed and patted his inner thighs. Garfield knew that command. His head buzzed with excitement and guilt. He was such a slut. He crawled between thighs strong enough to break his neck. There was an immense thrill in knowing Bruce could easily kill him. He shook the thought. Heroes don't kill.

Garfield settled straight in front of the now throbbing member. It was utterly impressive and too big for him to suck, but he was so turned on by the musk emitting due to Bruce's interest. Semen wet the split on the mushroom tip.

"Take a little," Bruce ordered.

He knew what it meant when an alpha said that. The semen would work as an aphrodisiac. He didn't need it; he was already under the spell. Bruce ran his fingers through his hair and he couldn't help but lean into the touch. The alpha's warm palm easily cradled his face.

Bruce gently pulled his head forward and Garfield tentatively licked the massive tip, tasting the silky soft brush of clean skin. The alpha's seed was salty and unique to his clean diet, similar to Dick's clean diet. It was different from the shellfish brine taste that Lobo had.

The alpha tilted his head back and moaned. The sound went straight to Garfield's stomach. He moaned in turn and Bruce's hands tightened in his hair, gently pulling him back.

"Time to switch positions," he said.

Garfield was on the bed, lying back on the numerous fluffy pillows with his legs open before he processed what Bruce said. His legs were pushed wider when Bruce settled between his thighs.

Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Garfield immediately seized up, pushing Bruce back and scrambling onto the bed. Bruce was going to… was going to suck him off. It was wrong. Just like when Dick went down and licked his slick between his thighs. Alphas couldn't do things like that. What was wrong with alpha heroes? Didn't they know the rules?

"You're blushing," Bruce said, playing his fingertips along the outside of Garfield's ankles in an attempt to pacify him. "I'll be gentle with you."

Until he wasn't…

He wasn't sure what the alpha was getting at, but Bruce pulled him down the length of the bed, putting him on his back again. He watched for only a second when Bruce settled between his thighs, taking in his much smaller shaft. The heat of his mouth sealed around his flesh and he bucked upward at the immense pleasure. He groaned, surprised by the sheer feral sound.

Bruce caught his hips and lightly pressed him back into the mattress as he continued to gently suck him off. The wet sounds were erotic and disgusting. Bruce reached lower, tugging on his balls, then tenderly squeezed them.

He moaned again, before gritting his teeth, determined not to make another sound, but the heat rolled from the tip of his slit to the base of his shaft; it journeyed just under his skin to an area he could never quite get off alone. Something burst in the cradle of his pelvis. His body rippled with pleasure and Bruce swallowed his release.

He blissfully sunk into the mattress before his muscles tightened. He just came inside Bruce's mouth. The alpha sat back, wiping the back of his hand over his lips. A small penis meant never making a mess, like an alpha made when they came. The predator within Bruce gleamed behind his dark eyes. He was momentarily sated, but how? He wasn't the one that got off.

Bruce crawled back between his legs, and leaned over him, catching his mouth for a kiss that left him wanton and clingy. He could taste himself on the alpha's tongue. He was unsure if this was disgusting or hot. He immediately dropped his hands from Bruce's side.

"Don't be afraid to touch me. After tonight, we'll be bonded. I'll be your alpha and you will be my omega.

He didn't respond as Bruce breeched his muscles. It stole his breath for a second, before the fire in his gut rekindled. He jerked back against it before his brain could tell him to stop. Bruce didn't reprimand or hit him. He tried to reprimand himself, but the alpha cantered his hips at an angle that hit all the sensitive places within his canal.

The next orgasm was stronger. It stole the breath straight from his lungs. He could feel the knot forming at the base of Bruce's penis. It was thick, making him clench his jaw when it started to catch on his rim, but didn't yet lock their bodies. Bruce nuzzled his jaw before licking a path long his neck. The knot was starting expand, adding just enough pressure to the nub against his inner walls to make him scream with desire.

Bruce's teeth pierced his neck, breaking through the skin as the slick slap of their bodies grew confined. Garfield reached his third jarring orgasm, riding out fevered tremors as Bruce continued to pump into him. He was vaguely aware the alpha invited him to touch by guiding his arms around his massively rock-solid waist.

Garfield did for a moment, but when Bruce let his wrist go, he dropped his hand back to the bed, insecure about everything. Bruce continued to lick and gently nuzzle his neck as his body milked the alpha's sperm.

"We'll get there Garfield. You'll trust us again," he said, smoothing Garfield's hair from his sweaty face.

oOo

Bruce was already in gray sweats when Dick came into the room. The lights were dim and darkness pressed through the windows looking out at nothing. The better aerial of earth was in the control center. Garfield's heat left a strong, alluring aroma in the air. He pulled the chair from the desk, but stopped when Bruce indicated he should sit on the bed on the other side of the omega.

"We have to get use to being in each other's space now," Bruce said.

"You're the one that gets fussy about territory," he countered.

Bruce gave a small nod and changed the subject. "He's a hundred percent omega trained. Reversing that will be difficult. He might never be the person he was when he was naïve about being an omega."

"I'm willing to put all my effort into seeing him that happy and carefree again," Dick said. Naïve was great, but he'd settle for obnoxiously independent too. He wasn't sure what would make Garfield happy and what would make him happy now that he was mated with the omega.

Bruce handed him his mobile phone. The screen was on and his email was open. A quick glance over the body of the message said there was a breakthrough in removing the nanobots from a primate with no long term effects to the animal. The data was listed as a chart and extended into an excel sheet. Certain numbers were highlighted and the pulse rate of the animal throughout the study was represented as a red light that stayed steady. There was a profound amount of relief in this.

"This is good. We need to get him to your lab," Dick said. He scrolled through the information again, this time he read the data slower.

"We need to look at the concerns surrounding Garfield right now. He needs therapy, medical attention and a renewed sense of independency. If we take the nanobots from his system, he has the advantage of turning into something we caught catch, like a bird, and returning to Lobo. He won't understand why he's made that decision, but he'll feel compelled, given that Lobo was his master for nearly two years," Bruce said.

Dick placed the phone down between them and turned his attention to Garfield. The omega's hair hid both his mating bite and Bruce's mating bite. He slept on his side, curled with his hands under his chin as if this position would protect him. He fought the desire to touch his ex-teammate, least he wake the sleeping omega.

"Okay. I agree with you. We will wait until we see improvement in his physical and mental well-being before we take it to the next step, but I don't want him growing use to the collar," he said.

"I don't want that either," Bruce agreed.


	14. Chapter 14

Garfield woke in utter darkness, sinking into the downy soft mattress that signified his current masters' bed. He shifted, ready to get out from underneath the arm thrown around his waist, but the strong hand splayed over his naked hip drew him into the comfort of the body behind him.

"No," Dick said with masculine authority. The alpha was semi-erect underneath his cotton sleep pants, but there was no sign he was interested in congregating. In fact, both Dick and Bruce limited the copulation vastly to his last heat. He knew kid gloves when he saw a pair and these two were literally a pair.

Garfield reached out in the darkness and touched the bare chest of another alpha, Bruce. The man caught his hand, drew his knuckles to his mouth and gently pressed a kiss to his skin before tucking his hand up against his body. Now he was extremely trapped between two overly-hot bodies. He didn't need to touch lower on Bruce to know he also wore sleep pants.

They were better than Lobo, but it left him confused. They didn't want his omega traits. He held his breath, trying to fight the inner panic when Dick squeezed his thigh and Bruce squeezed his hand. Neither alpha was asleep. The room was too dark to tell if Bruce had his eyes open. He couldn't tell about Dick, even if he turned to look at him. He slowed his breathing.

"What are you thinking?" Dick's fingers danced so softly over his skin, tracing his hip down the dip of his pelvis, but never touching him in his personal regions. The alpha was careful how he touched him outside of the heat, as if it would add to the objectification, but nothing could change what he'd been through and who he became due to it.

He swallowed. "Alpha would not be please with this omega's thoughts."

"Garfield," Dick sighed against his neck. His fingers moved up Garfield's torso and into his hair, carefully pulling the strands away from his neck and ear. "Take ownership of your name. Omega doesn't suit your personality."

"Please," Garfield whispered. Dick pressed his lips to the back of Garfield's neck. He pressed his body back against the alpha, hoping both alphas would do something he'd be more familiar with, more so than what they actually wanted from him like the person he'd been before Lobo.

Dick placed a hand on his hips, stilling him. "I will do this for you outside of heat, when you actually want it from me. Until then, I won't allow you to use this in order to avoid conversation. Something really bad happened to you, and that's due to the very little society understands about omegas. I could've protected you better. If it hadn't come as a surprise, you wouldn't have run."

He would've ran from this, before he realized how utterly amazing an alpha's body heat was. Dick and Bruce did nothing to hurt him, yet he still felt odd to be back at the mansion as more than a guest. Bruce squeezed his hand as if sensing his thoughts. Both men were too perceptive.

oOo

Dick sat in the plush chair, staring just beyond the Justice League appointed therapist's shoulder. The older man diligently took notes, asking few questions and letting him talk. He wished the therapist would interrupt him, but the man allowed him to fill the room with noise, which was nothing less than his voice.

"I'm exhausted. Nothing you suggested, works. Garfield refuses to sleep in the bed if he's not knotted. He will go straight to the floor and won't take any blankets. I can't leave for school or work because he only eats if an alpha tells him to so Alfred is spinning his wheels. I don't know how to put balance into our lives. I don't know him anymore," Dick rattled. He hated when he rattled. It made him feel like a child. Bruce could convey years of research into one word. He didn't glean that talent.

"You need an alpha to babysit," the therapist said.

"What alpha would be willing to babysit an omega? Most alphas would feel it was beneath them…" Actually, he knew one alpha that would be willing to do it. He sat upright. "Excuse me, I need to make a phone call."

"Send Garfield in," the man said.

He nodded as he pulled his mobile phone from his back pocket. God, he really hoped this worked, because he was running out of options. He opened the study door and stared at Garfield sitting in a plush chair. The markers were untouched, the white printer paper was unblemished and the three books they carried in for him to read while he was waiting hadn't moved from where Dick left them on the edge of the coffee table.

"Garfield, it's your turn," he said.

Garfield stared at him with the biggest emerald green eyes before pulling himself up out of the chair. At least he stayed in the chair this entire time. The last visit was like all the others, ending with him coming out to tell Garfield to go inside and finding the omega on the ground in his omega waiting pose.

Garfield walked by him, careful to keep their shoulders from touching. Dick waited in the doorway long enough to see if Garfield would take a seat in the chair without being told. He didn't. He waited with his hands placed in front of him. This was why they changed therapists three times in two months.

"Sit, Garfield," the alpha therapist said. The omega fell into the chair with his hands in his lap.

Dick inwardly sighed and shut the door, knowing that the therapist had very little chance of getting Garfield to open up. He opened his pocket notebook and jotted another note to a list of places that might get Garfield to open up; Zoo.

oOo

Garfield sat in front of the television, though he hadn't been watching it. The alphas found old reruns of his favorite cartoons, but animation no longer held much interest for him. With his head bowed, he listened to the soft voices. Master Bruce and Master Dick didn't talk like normal people. Their conversations were brief and cryptic. Their conversation was about him, always. They wanted him to pick his own clothes and dress himself. They wanted him sitting at the table, eating with a fork or spoon; drinking from an adult glass not a plastic kid cup. They wanted him to read the newspaper and hold conversations. They wanted him to lay in a bed and stop waiting for them to tell him what to do. None of that, he could do.

The harmonious doorbell chimed and the estate grew momentarily alive, though it was only the four of them present this morning. The therapist left, along with his primary care physician. He couldn't remember what day it was, but he was sure the private instructor for the Omega and Me yoga class wasn't today. Jesus. He hated that yoga class. It was more about touching than anything and Lobo never touched him outside of sex. It felt awkward now, having someone want to constantly hug or hold him and he knew he was disappointing his masters. He could see it in the few times he looked up from the floor.

He listened to Master Dick's clothing as he left the space. The visiting room wasn't far from the door. Sound traveled in the estate's hush; bolts being unlocked and the sound of the door opening.

The voices were low, but he caught the surprised hitch in Master Dick's breathing. "You all came?"

There came an answer. The group entered and the door was shut. Garfield sniffed the air, catching the scent of incense, motor oil and warm sugar long before the group entered the room. He kept his eyes plastered to the floor, though his memory would never forget the smell of his team. His face burned with embarrassment. He wished the floor would swallow him whole. He didn't want anyone seeing him like this.

"Man, this is cruel. You make him sit like a waiting omega?" Cyborg asked. His sass made the last word go up in question.

"It's not what you'd think," Dick sighed. His master signed a lot, sometimes vocally, but mostly with his shoulders in the smallest of movement. "Look. I need to get to school before I get kicked out of my classes for the semester. Can you look after him for the day?"

"Dude, not a problem," Cyborg said. "But can you get him out of that pose?"

Garfield's jaw tightened. He refused to sigh least any of the alphas took it as discontent. Master Dick and Master Bruce had yet to hurt him, except for forcing him into humiliating therapy and yoga classes. And for what? Who didn't want a properly trained omega… except maybe them?

"I'm working on that," Dick said, annoyed. "Look. He needs to eat. If you don't tell him too, he won't. He might not go to sleep until someone gets home. I give," he stopped talking, to heave another vocal sigh. There was a heavy weariness to it. "I give any of you permission to comfort him. I prefer he sleep in the bed, but if you can't manage it, there is a large dog bed on the floor. Make sure he sleeps on it."

Comfort? There were many forms of comfort for an omega, but Garfield wasn't like all those omegas in the badly outdated handbooks. He was a good omega, much like Alfred. He was a service animal, but he did not need love or comfort or anything else his Masters thought were needed.

"We got this covered man. Go do what you have to do," Cyborg said.

Dick crossed the room and leaned down, kissing him on the forehead and rubbing his fingers under Garfield's chin. "I'll be home after class and my internship. Try to have fun, Garfield. Cyborg use to be your best friend."

His master left. He had no idea where Bruce was, though he could guess the older alpha was equally consumed with his affairs. That left him alone with three alphas, all of which had very distinct smells. It should've been alarming, but it brought a sense of familiarity and almost comfort. He stared at Cyborg's metal feet, aware that Starfire and Raven were floating. They gave off a temperate wave of energy like a radiating pulse so timid, it was easy to ignore like the brush of a breeze from a fan.

"Okay! Everyone heard friend Dick. We must set our alarms for every fifteen minutes for a feeding!" Starfire said. Up close, she smelled more like vanilla cupcakes than the scent of sugary kool-aid like he originally thought.

"He's not a baby bird, he can go without eating every fifteen minutes," Raven said. She smelled like sandalwood, sage and the dark arts which wasn't as sour as he originally thought when he first met her years ago. "I'm not dealing with an omega who is overfed and throwing up."

"Besides, we can't eat every fifteen minutes or it will get in the way of what I have planned," Cyborg said.

oOo

"Do it! Do it!" Cyborg chanted.

A mega-large, double decker pizza was in front of them with a mug of root beer to refill their cups. Two years ago, he would've been up for the challenge, but Cyborg obviously didn't get the memo. He couldn't eat this stuff. Lobo would be so mad at him. So he remained with his hands in his lap, stuck in the curved booth seat between Starfire and Cyborg. Raven sat at the edge, ready to get the hell out on a moment's notice.

"Maybe we should chew his food first and vomit it into his mouth," Starfire said.

Raven rolled her eyes. "He's not a baby bird."

Cyborg grabbed a slice, letting the cheese ooze over the pie cutter as he moved the offering to a plate. The smell was intoxicating. Garfield found his mouth watering, which was bad. He gritted his teeth. His willpower was limited. Raven was explaining omega customs, something he really didn't want to listen too, but caught the tail end of "so rare, but not birds".

"Okay, you know what you got to do," Cyborg said. "If you eat this pizza, you'll get us twenty free tokens just like the old days."

But these weren't old days and he couldn't turn into something that could swallow the pizza whole. He glared up at Cyborg before he caught himself, but his old best friend started laughing. The quiet females made him uncomfortable. Garfield glanced at the table, then immediately regretted it. There was nothing to look at that wasn't filled with temptation.

"Garfield, you eat or I'm going to force you to eat," Raven growled. Her magick bubbled around him, black as her demon soul, but not unfriendly. The bubbles burst with loud pops, but bubbled around him again in warning.

"Garfield," Cyborg said. "Last warning, dude."

Garfield tentatively touched the food in front of him. It'd been a favorite of his years ago. His stomach growled. He raised the hot dough to his mouth and took a small bite at the edge. The melted cheese, tomato sauce, mushrooms and black olives made his eyes roll to the back of his head with pleasure. This was good. Almost better than sex… almost, except now he was having sex with two alpha superheroes and it was so much more comfortable and enjoyable than it had been with Lobo, but he wouldn't allow himself to get complacent or comfortable. He couldn't forget his sole mission now that he was an omega, though neither alpha held him to those standards. It was now up to him to hold himself to those standards.

Garfield glanced up and saw a familiar face moving among the games. He stared hard, but the crowd swallowed the person in question. The hairs on his arms rose in response to the flashback. He glanced at the team he used to be close to. They were swallowing pizza quicker than he ever would now with his training. He stared at the pizza on his plate and then back up at the games, willing that familiar face to take root again.

"Dude, you have to be hungry. We'll play games in a moment," Cyborg said, misreading the situation as he clapped him gently on the shoulder.

It wasn't an invitation to eat, but he picked up the pizza, chastising himself for the rudeness as he inhaled the greasy, cheesy triangle. He wiped his fingers on the napkin, noting the grease, than glanced up again when he felt tension at the crown of his head. It was consuming. He looked up and found the same person staring at him. It'd been a few years, but Kyd Wykkyd looked wonderful. Garfield swallowed hard, suddenly nervous and self-conscious about who he'd become.

Kyd wasn't wearing his villain costume, but he'd recognize him anywhere, even in jeans that hugged a lithe waist and a long sleeve, button down shirt that accented his shoulders and tapered waist. His hair was short and spiky. His eyes were crystal clear and sharp.

Garfield's heart pounded with adrenaline and excitement. Another omega was in the same vicinity, how rare an actuality, besides Alfred whose behavior was confusing at the best of times. He opened his mouth then promptly shut it. It was too daring for a trained omega to speak without being spoken too. Everything inside him pounded with adrenaline and fear. He swallowed it because this was so important.

He opened his mouth again and suddenly he had everyone's attention. They were practically leaning in to see what he would say. He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Bath… bathroom."

"Yes, of course, do you need us to go with you?" Starfire said.

"He's got this, Star. He's a Titan," Cyborg said, with a firm hand on his shoulder.

Garfield blushed. He hadn't been a Titan in years, and the stone in his stomach said he wouldn't hold up in a real fight. Cyborg moved out of the seat and he easily slid out, feeling the weight of their eyes on him as he made it through the bleeping and whistling game systems that begged for players or were even louder due to the players. The game room was dark and as soon as he was around the corner, the air shifted, popped and opened with Kyd standing in front of him. He was in motion before his mind thought better of it. He threw his arms around the man who was now, taller and more solid than him, sturdy in the shoulders and torso.

Kyd's arms wrapped around him, slow and unsure, but finally his hands took purchase and pulled their bodies close, body heat mixing with scent, but Garfield didn't care. The relief in his chest gave way and he snorted with a burst of laughter and sadness. Kyd held him tighter and nuzzled into his neck, silent and reassuring.

"I didn't know what happened to you." Garfield cleared his throat the second he felt his eyes tearing. There was no reason to cry as he pushed Kyd at arm's length, but Kyd caught his wrist, making it impossible to push him any farther away. Those expressive eyes said so much. Garfield shrugged. "Yeah. I'm okay."

Kyd's eyes slid to his neck where the collar clung to his throat. He barely felt the weight of it anymore. It wasn't the worst thing he had to deal with and there weren't bruises. The doctor declared at his last visit that Garfield was two pounds closer to a healthier weight.

"I'm okay. They aren't that bad," Garfield said. He chuckled at Kyd's raised eyebrow. "Yeah, I didn't think I'd be saying that, but, you know, it's not as bad as it was."

He saw the news report the first week he was at the Justice League's private headquarters. The news kept repeating the details on the attack at the hospital, the one that he caused when he pressed the fire alarm and ran into the main part of the hospital. He'd been pregnant and scared. Now, no longer pregnant, he carried the guilt of his actions. He put so many people at risk when Mammoth came through like a tornado.

Kyd pulled him in again, but this time, he wasn't prepared for the gentle kiss that was far too intimate. Garfield gasped and Kyd slid his tongue between his lips. It was brief, but said so much more than words could express. The ex-villain let him go and he stepped back to catch his breath, surprised and completely confused by the action. The kiss was so gentle and it made his heart flutter. Kyd was wild and free. He swallowed. That's when he smelled it, another alpha that was extremely close.

He pushed Kyd behind him out of a habit he thought he lost years ago. Terra kept her distance with her gloved hands raised in momentary surrender. It took only a second to realize the new situation.

"She's your alpha?" he asked, under his breath.

Kyd nodded. Terra's blond hair was longer and curled over her shoulders. Her three inch heels made her tall and lean, like a model in spandex. He stood frozen. Was she friend or foe? Kyd didn't seem worse for the wear. The omega squeezed his arm in reassurance, but he couldn't calm his instincts.

Terra kept her hands up to placate him. "We've been looking for you for years. We can help you get out of this."

She nodded towards his collar and his hand instantly went to his throat.

"I need it," he said, barely above a whisper. He was talking back… to an alpha and she didn't frown or show any anger for it. Her face remained soft and her body language approachable, like his ex-teammates. Everyone wore kid gloves with him, even a possible enemy. It was awkward.

"We can figure this out together," she said. "Come with us BB. We have a halfway house for omegas looking to escape their owners. We can get you setup in a community that is safe without omega laws."

"Where are there no omega laws?" His voice was growing steadily stronger. Omega islands were just a rumor.

Terra smirked, "Omega laws only apply to omegas. So stop being an omega."

Garfield's brows furrowed. He glanced back at Kyd. He was an omega, at least when they met back at the junkyard… but he didn't smell like any gender now.

"Hey, what's going on?" Starfire said. Her energy filled the space with white hot, electric currents that stretched out like a bubble. The video games glowed with the extra energy.

"Terra!" Raven hissed.

Kyd reached for Terra and him. Garfield subconsciously stepped back, out of his reach and shook his head. Kyd's dark eyes went sad, and the two disappeared in a flash. He remained by the wall, holding a hand to the collar and tried to remember how to breathe.

"Are you okay BB?" Cyborg asked.

BB, Beast Boy, a name that he thought was completely lost and though he heard it more times today then he had in years, suddenly it clicked. He was still a changeling. He nodded and allowed Starfire to wrap an arm around his shoulder. She wanted to be protective, but he hadn't been afraid of Kyd and strangely, not of Terra either.

They lead him back into the chaos of the arcade. The combined sounds instantly became the soundtrack of his inspiration fighting for space among his thoughts. But could he still be the type of individual he wanted to be or did that interfere with what the alphas thought he should be?

"We should get home," Raven said. The fun was over. "I don't want to be the one explaining to Dick that Kyd Wykkyd is back and he has an alpha alliance."

Alpha alliance? That was a definition he wanted to ask about, but the alphas were somber and he had no interest in trying to talk before he was spoke to, at least not yet.

The car ride back was strained.

oOo

Garfield sat on the couch since the last alpha in the house became super insistent about it. Plus, Cyborg was once his best friend. It had to be okay to sit next to the large and strangely empathic ex-teammate. Cyborg didn't give off heat, but the gears in his chest gave the slightest humming noise, not similar to a heartbeat, but radiated life just the same. He caught himself leaning in, every time the sound started to lull him to sleep.

If Cyborg noticed, the alpha said nothing. They were watching something silly, something he'd love two years ago. A small portion of the scenes made him laugh and he tried catching himself, but the sound burst out, strange and familiar and a twist of so many exotically wrong things about being a trained omega that was now making noise. Cyborg clapped him on the back and chuckled too, but said nothing against it as they fell back into a comfortable silence and watched Space Monkey's a spinoff from the Banana Monkey game they loved playing.

Cyborg nudged his shoulder. "You know dude, you've never been at a loss for words. I'm surprised you don't have something to say right now."

Garfield shrugged and Cyborg frowned. There had been a time when there was nothing that couldn't be discussed between them. That was before he knew what it meant to be omega. He shifted under the weight of Cyborg's sympathetic stare.

"What do you want to talk about?" He offered. Too many strange things happened today and he was still confused. Even now, he treaded on thin ice speaking so openly with an alpha.

Cyborg's brows rose. The man was nothing if not patient. "I don't know. Anything I guess."

Anything. What a broad term. Garfield shifted on the couch to face the alpha that was half machine and half man. He remained the same, right down to his shiny, metal fingers. Garfield hesitantly reached out and brushed his fingers against the metal, expecting it to be cold, but the wires within gave the metal a humanlike heat. Cyborg remained still, allowing him to grow familiar with something he'd known years ago. He brushed his fingers through Cyborg's metal fingers, feeling the solidarity of the metal in its resting state.

"Can… can alphas control themselves?" he asked. Both Bruce and Dick seemed very controlled, but he couldn't remember all the details of those few days and nights.

Cyborg shifted. He didn't look uncomfortable, but his body was heavier than most and even if he couldn't feel the miniature annoyances of being more human, he still acted as though he did. "Most alphas can control themselves to a point, but instincts are hard. Like when I saw Terra today, I wanted to fight and protect. It's a weird feeling, but you have very strong protective skills too. You don't lose your hero status because you present. You were born and raised to be a fighter."

Garfield blushed and turned away, catching a shadow at the edge of his vision. When he turned full on to look at the person who joined them, it took a second to register that it was Dick back from his internship. Garfield's heart shot to his throat as he slid from the couch and sat on the floor. He barely caught disappointment in Dick's face and felt even guiltier.

Cyborg stood. The couch and the wood floor moaned from his accustomed weight. "We ran into Terra and Kyd Wykkyd at the arcade." The silence stretched when he paused. "There was no real trouble, but they didn't stick around once we showed up."

The silence stretched. Garfield risked a glance upward at Dick who silently sighed. "Were you able to have a nice time out before that?"

"Yes." There was warmth in the word, like the days when nothing mattered beyond video games, pizza and bad guys.

Garfield's heart fluttered with the memory that didn't just warm his skin, but warmed his very soul. He glanced up again when Dick stood in front of him, but the alpha's attention was on the other alpha.

"Thank you for staying the day," he said. His voice was low and full of masculine heat.

"No problem. I'd like to play video games here next time," Cyborg said. "Maybe see if Alfred can stock more sodas. I want to be hyper when I'm playing."

Garfield watched Dick's face while the alpha wasn't looking. The smallest of smirks quaked the edges of his lips. It was nice. The alpha nodded and Cyborg left the room and then the house. The minute they were alone, Dick pulled him onto the couch and resumed the television watching. He smelled like the summer heat and a fast food lunch, though not even the slightest bit of grease made it to his clothes. The gel in his hair gave with gravity making the spikes less spikey. Underneath the outfit, perfect for any young man going into business, was all hard, warm flesh.

"Did you enjoy your day?" Dick asked.

Garfield hummed softly in agreement to the question. It earned him a very small, comforting squeeze that made him wonder why he hadn't ended up in his leader's arms so much sooner, besides training when he'd end up tossed to the floor with Robin straddling him and frowning, encouraging him to fight harder. Was he the only person that changed? Because it almost felt like that's what Dick was doing now, encouraging him to fight harder. He wanted to ask, but couldn't.

"Did Terra threaten you?" he asked. The questions were simple, but nothing simple crossed through those vigilant eyes. Dick was thinking hard, piecing together what the alpha and omega would want and why Kyd didn't just run off with him again like he had so many years ago. He wondered that too, why they didn't push harder for him to follow.

Garfield shook his head no. They'd been openly concerned, about his predicament, but they didn't know how far worse it'd been only months prior. He sighed, feeling something strangely familiar in the way it warred with his conscious, as if both omega awareness and self awareness were no longer lining up. He bit his lip and forced himself to go boneless against the alpha.

Dick subconsciously held him tighter, pulling him in closer.


	15. Chapter 15

This was the second time he'd been in the bat cave. Though the office chair was comfortable enough, the cave itself was dank and the lamps set overhead gave off muted light that only enhanced the glow of the massive screens Bruce worked with. Garfield bit his bottom lip and immediately stopped twisting in the chair when he realized he was playing with the swivel capabilities.

The older alpha threw him a half-hearted smile. "You can twist in the chair. I know it's boring to sit here."

Garfield felt like shrugging, but didn't. He pressed his hands in his lap and watched as Bruce typed on the keyboard. The soft click-click of the key pad was swallowed by the magnitude of the cave. The quiet made his ears throbbed. It was his very sensitive animal senses that begged for something to listen to. Bruce stopped typing to look at him.

"When Dick was a child, much too young to be a hero, he would do exactly what you're doing now. I had to bribe him with sugar to get him to sit still and learn about all this," he waved at the screen. The man was vastly different outside his daunting costume. His collared shirt hugged broad shoulders and a tapered waist. His pants were an olive green and he wore black business shoes. The alpha only wore running shoes when he was working out.

Garfield tightened his hold on the chair, embarrassed to be fully addressed by the alpha. He was amazed at how little time it took for Lobo to make him who he was. When it was clear Bruce was waiting for a response, he swallowed hard. "Last time I played with a computer, it got me in a world of trouble, sir."

Bruce chuckled and reached out, gently patting his shoulder like he'd seen the older alpha do to Dick. To his surprise, it didn't feel demeaning. "You'll trust again, Garfield. You're young enough that this setback can be undone."

The elevator swooshed, saving Garfield from having to respond. Bruce stood and Garfield watched him go and greet Dick at the elevator. He was surprised by the amount of joy there was in seeing both his alphas sharing the same space. Even in the bedroom, when the world was quiet, he felt unease like sharing space was a territorial battle.

He waited in the chair as the two men exchanged words. Dick wore a blue collared shirt with a tie and black pants. Bruce, even with a day off, also dressed for business, but without the tie. The two walked over with their words barely disrupting the hallow cave.

"I'll personally check on it," Dick said under his breath.

"There is no proof it will be a concern," Bruce answered.

Dick threw him a smile and Garfield glanced at Bruce, wanting one of the alphas to give him a cue to drop to the floor. It didn't come. Bruce had told him to stay in the chair. Now he found himself swirling in it again, pent up with nerves.

"Are you ready?" Dick's attention went from him to the older alpha.

Garfield's heart flopped. Ready for what? He pressed his nails into the leather armrest and waited.

"The machines are setup and ready to go. Come on, Garfield. We're removing the nanobots from your system," Bruce said.

Garfield sluggishly separated himself from the chair. When the silence lingered, he had a feeling they expected him to say something. He sheepishly glanced from one to the other.

"You're getting better." Dick reassured as he reached out and patted his shoulder. The two alphas were so much alike.

He followed them into a portion of the cave with a sterile room for some of Bruce's experiments. The glass walls were completely clear, but the room was much brighter than the other electronic filled portions of the cave due to the numerous, operation room style lights brought into the sizeable space. Bruce walked in first and he followed. The numerous lights raised the temperature a fraction.

"Go ahead and lay down on the bed," Bruce ordered.

Garfield sat on the bed and watched as Bruce tinkered with setting items on a tray. They dinged softly in the quiet space. He jumped when fingers touched his wrist.

"This isn't going to hurt," Dick assured him. His smile was kind, though tired. He was incapable of hiding his underlying concern. "If we're successful, you should be able to change."

It took a moment for him to realize Dick was talking about his physicality. He balled his hands into fists, feeling the press of his fingernails against his palms. He couldn't remember what it felt like to be in another form, but he still had dreams about changing.

Garfield leaned back on the bed and his gaze drifted upward at the glass ceiling over his head. The world remained black beyond the lights. He imagined hanging upside down with the bats. He could feel the stretch of his leather wings and the condense heat under his fur… only in his imagination, but he could feel it, the change of his heart rate if nothing else.

Bruce came to the side of the bed and uncapped the syringe in his hands. "This is a light sedative. The procedure shouldn't be painful, but there is a strong discomfort associated with the removal of the nanobots."

Garfield stayed focused on the ceiling, but his breath caught when the needle touched his skin. The liquid introduced into his veins was cold. He focused on the feeling until it was gone. He hated out easily drugs introduced into his stagnate form could so easily disappear without him being aware of its full effects on his body.

Bruce tossed goggles to Dick and handed a pair to Garfield. "Safety goggles."

Garfield slid them over his face then returned to staring up at the glass ceiling, aware that the alphas stood at each side of the table, waiting. He stole a glance at Dick; Nightwing. His black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. His shoulders were broad, but not like Bruce who had far more years in the game.

Garfield swallowed hard as Bruce moved the machinery around until a heavy metal disk hung over his body. It looked like a flying saucer. The thought made him smirk. In turn, Dick reached for his hand and gave his fingers a light squeeze before dropping away.

"Try to relax your muscles," Bruce said, gently tapping him on the shoulder before squeezing his clenched fist. He immediately released his hand, allowing Bruce to wiggle a finger into his light grasp.

That finger felt wonderfully sturdy. It belonged to a sturdy alpha. Two years ago, back in the room when the alphas were raising their hands to claim guardianship over him, he'd freaked out. At the time, he'd seen a very brief picture of a knot. Never had he realized that at some point his heat would make the entire experience a blur of half-remembered actions.

Now though… He glanced over at Dick. They were both such strong men; mentally and physically. They were doing him a solid giving him the one thing he wanted the most, his body back.

The machine hummed and his skin tightened. Heat rose to the surface of his body making him sweat. He tried not to shift, but the discomfort settled straight through his muscle to his bones. It felt like his body was calcifying.

"Thirty percent finished," Bruce announced, staring at a screen facing away from Garfield.

It hurt. Not at first. The heat was uncomfortable, making him want to jump into an ice bath or peel off his own skin just so his blood could breathe and find comfort. There was no comfort though, even beyond the stiffness. It felt like his skin was trying to shrink around his bones.

"How long is this going to take?" Dick asked.

If Bruce answered, it was too low and gruff for Garfield to focus on. He gritted his teeth, determined to not scream though the building pressure boiling up along his spine.

"Keep holding on. You're doing so well." Dick's voice sounded as strained as Garfield felt.

He could barely smell either alpha. His senses were tied to the machines that hummed, but did little else. For the pain he felt, it seemed the compensation should've been a little blood and guts. There was nothing but sweat and the hardening of his muscle as if tiny ants were trying to do through him.

"Ninety percent finished," Bruce announced.

He wished the alphas would continue to talk. Their gruff voices gave him more to focus on than the churning of his mind and body. It gave relief to the humming in his ears; like he was flying too high and the air pressure was trying to make his brain burst through his eardrums. It grew unbearable. He bowed his back and pulled his legs up, ready to claw his way off the table, then the electricity in the machine powered down and the noise stopped. The ringing in his ears did not.

Garfield blinked through the goggles, but didn't immediately see either alpha until the pain calmed a fraction more. His body needed to power down like the machine had. He was achy and he was exhausted and there was nothing to show for all the effort he went through to get rid of the nanobots.

There was no blood. There were no gaping wounds that needed stitching. The fatigue was bone deep though.

"I'm going to take a blood sample and then you're free to go upstairs and get lunch with Alfred," Bruce said.

They'd wanted him to take initiative, and though it felt weird, he did it. Bruce came to the side of the table with a new syringe and cleaned his skin with a cotton ball and alcohol. The older alpha diligently took the sample and Garfield was too pleased with getting a bandage and being released from the room, but not before Bruce placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're doing good Garfield. You're going to feel like yourself in no time. I'd like you to start sparring when you are comfortable with it," Bruce said. The offer threw him off guard. Sparring meant fighting… something an omega didn't do. These alphas were confusing his senses.

The interior lights were flipped off and his body cooled another fraction, with it, little pieces of the pain subsided. He lowered his legs and sank into the medical table to catch his breath. His alphas pulled their goggles off and he did the same.

"How bad do you feel? Do you want something for the pain?" Dick asked. He placed one hand on Garfield's kneecap and the heat of his ungloved hand was surprisingly reassuring.

"I… I think I'm okay," he said. He wouldn't know until he could test his morphing abilities. That scared him more than the day he found out he was an omega. He wasn't sure he could handle it if he couldn't change.

"Do you feel different?" Dick asked.

Garfield sat up with Dick's hand on his elbow guiding him. He felt tired and weaker than usual, but nothing felt different. He took a steady breath and shook his head. He could feel both the alphas' disappointment, but neither spoke on it.

"Let's get back to the bedroom so you can lay down," Dick said.

Garfield glanced at Bruce, but the older alpha was caught up in the computer work and the metal plate that had been hanging over Garfield's body. The nanobots… That's what he was looking for.

Garfield followed Dick out into the main Batcave. The cool temperatures washed over them and he felt another ounce of relief. He needed to bath and get the sweat off his body, but he was so grateful that they did this. He hesitated for just a second before her reached over and took Dick's hand. He didn't glance up at the alpha, but he could feel his body language instantly change. He was off guard by the action.

Dick opened his mouth to speak, made a very soft raspy breath, then promptly closed his mouth and squeezed his hand in silent affirmation that something between them was different now.

Garfield fought the desire to move closer to Dick. He fought the yearning to push him against the glass and kiss him. The sudden aggression was alarming, but it was under his skin, like an alpha… or at least a hero.

oOo

Dick walked into the kitchen and immediately backtracked into the hall and against the wall so he could listen. In that brief second, he caught Garfield sitting at the table laughing at something Alfred said. The sound was wonderful. It made his heart flutter. It was like old times.

"What are you doing?" Bruce's eyebrows knitted in annoyance.

Dick threw a finger to his lips and motioned for him to get back before he peeked around the corner when the laugher died down. Garfield had his long green hair pulled into a messy ponytail at the nape of his neck. His pointed green ears had a delicate curve and his swan neck was open for biting. His skin was perfect; tight with youth. He was still so young. Only his mind had been altered.

Garfield took a steady breath and ran two fingers around a small glass of wine. "How were you able to join the army as an omega? What about the rules governing our gender?"

Bruce placed a hand on Dick's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze before pulling away. He could feel the older alpha's body heat with him standing so close behind him. If he moved an inch, he'd touch the other man.

"Well, I was born into servitude with the Waynes, and when I was young, the alpha of the family secured suppressants so I could enroll. It was an experience many omegas would never have, but it helped me better understand myself and what I could do for society. Strangely, my skills had better use here," Alfred said.

"How could you get past… this, to become a soldier? Don't you feel it in the marrow of your bones? The constant desire to roll over?" Garfield asked, sipping his wine. His words never grew heavy despite his drink.

Bruce nudged him to move into the kitchen. Garfield didn't notice them and Alfred glanced at them in passing as he stuck a tray into the oven. "It's simple, young friend, that when you get to the point like I did, you decide that you are unable to be a bystander. You prefer the call of duty."

Garfield mumbled something too low for him to catch. He flopped himself into the spare chair beside the omega and Garfield instantly tightened his shoulders. He tried too hard to stay stuck in the customs that Lobo taught him, and thought Justice League pushed for the old customs, Garfield wasn't raised to be an omega. If only the omega would see that too.

"Smells good, Alfred," Bruce said, taking the spare chair on the other side of Garfield.

The omega pushed his wine glass across the counter, away from himself and though Dick was tempted to pull the glass back over, he forced his mind to center and let it be. He couldn't force Garfield into being independent. It was the changeling's decision.

"We wanted to give you something," Dick said, pulling the box poking him from within his pocket. He wrapped few things in his life, this being one of them. The paper was bright yellow and the ribbon green. He placed it in front of his omega.

Garfield was slow to reach for it, his fingers delicately pulling it closer to his body. He tugged gently at the ribbon before pulling it the entire way and letting it fall off the box. He took his time pulling the paper off the box and even longer to pull the box open. The uncertainty turned to confusion. It wasn't an omega bracelet, but Dick knew this was better.

"It's a communicator. It has a built in call system," Dick said. When Garfield leaned back to glance at him first, than Bruce, he realized the omega was having a hard time understanding the situation.

"When you're ready to start training, you can go out on patrol with us, alternating as needed," Bruce explained.

"We realize that being indoors all the time is boring especially for someone use to going out on patrol," Dick said. His words rushed from his lips with nervous fervor. It was difficult not being able to read his teammate and lover.

"How lovely, combat equipment." Alfred's words had a flair of disapproval as he made himself busy with dinner.

Garfield took the watch from the box and slid it over his delicate wrist. In a few months, with protean drinks, hopefully the omega would gain back his body mass. He'd always been small, but not nearly as delicate as he currently was.

The air was lighter, even if Garfield wasn't aware of it. The omega stared at the watch. Was it excitement or trepidation that made his breath hitch? "Yes."

"What?" Dick asked, but he could hear the same question on Bruce's tongue, even if the older alpha rarely asked. His mentor usually waited for answers.

"I'm ready to train," Garfield said, careful not to look at them as he fingered the watch, touching the edges of the seemingly harmless looking gadget.

"When?" Dick asked. He swallowed the lump sitting in the back of his throat.

"Now," Garfield said. When he looked up, his emerald eyes caught his for a second before looking away.

Lesson one. Get Garfield his sense of self back.


	16. Chapter 16

Garfield whacked the punching bag. The pain went straight through the joints in his hand and up his arm. He'd been doing this for the better part of a month and didn't feel any stronger for it. Determination made him look at yoga a little differently; outside of omega and me yoga, which he didn't consider real yoga and really had enough of. He wasn't feeling so compliant lately. Actually, he hadn't felt accommodating for a little while now.

He punched the bag again and it swung around, meeting his gloved fists. Over and over. The muscles in his shoulders ached and sweat rolled down his back in disgusting buckets. When his arms couldn't take the abuse a second longer, he started in on jumping jacks and squats with weights.

Despite his pounding heart, he was very aware of his two alphas at the computer typing away as they scanned pictures. He wondered what they thought. He'd give anything to be able to alter his bimolecular DNA cells. The desire was a light, teasing sensation, like a summer breeze tickling his skin. Sometimes it was an overwhelming need intertwined with the more solid parts of him, like his muscle, making his nerves tick; painfully restless.

"Slade left enough clues to help form a trail, but I don't trust it." Dick kept his voice low. In the privacy of the cave, the younger alpha wore a black t-shirt and snug jeans that hugged his tapered waist.

"With good reason," Bruce said. He leaned over the desk to type on a third keyboard towards the back before sitting in his chair and throwing a hand towards the large screen. "It's a trap. If he has a better team this time, they will have the exits thoroughly covered, and can keep anyone from coming in to help you, you're going to run into trouble."

The older alpha wore a black t-shirt that stretched across his broad back with black business pants that also hugged a tapered waist. It was difficult to believe that Bruce's alter ego went without suspicion. The man was way fit for someone who wasn't in some form of law enforcement.

"Even more reason to get him locked up. He'll stop at nothing to make this work and I'm not going to put anyone else in danger," Dick said. The unspoken truth behind those words was that he didn't want his omega injured.

Garfield walked to the edge of the matt and stepped onto the cold stone. He squashed down the tiny part of his truly trained omega self that screamed for him to keep his mouth shut. "I'll go with you."

Both men swirled in their chairs to look at him. It was Dick who moved first. Bruce remained cautiously silent.

"This is really dangerous, Garfield. I don't think you should get involved this time," Dick said.

Garfield fought the rush of anger. It was new. He hadn't felt indignant in a long time. It was a better emotion than submission. "You can't treat me with kid gloves and expect me to be ready to go out."

"Garfield-"

He stepped out of Dick's reach. "I don't think so. You want me to be self-sufficient but you don't trust me to play with the big kids."

"As a team, we depended on you as a changeling. Combat in this form has never been in your strength. We outweigh you both in body mass and skill," Dick said.

Garfield swallowed. Until he could change, they were never going to let him out on a mission. He wanted to chuck their stupid watch back at them, but he fought his anger down. "Excuse me. I need to shower."

They were quiet. Maybe because they knew he could still hear them with his above average ability. Either way, he didn't care to hear anything else on the topic.

oOo

Garfield stood on the porch, staring out at the open driveway. There were a few cars parked out, one being Alfred's car. Dick gave him the keys to a jeep and now he stared at the jeep and the open road wondering if he was brave enough to get there.

"Okay, dude, you use to do this all the time, but without wheels, because you could fly." He grunted at the thought and squeezed his fists, wondering when that feeling would return. When would he feel like the changeling he'd been less than two years ago.

"Are you going to stand there all day, young Garfield?" Alfred held a duster in his folded arms.

Garfield startled and turned to look at the older omega. "Do you think they meant it about me leaving on my own? It's not something a kept omega would do."

"You aren't really kept are you? You have no omega clothing in the house. You don't have a collar. There are no babysitters and no chains or omega crate. I'd say you have been free since you got here, but you haven't noticed." Alfred walked farther onto the porch and looked up at the lights along the porch, then at the floor.

Garfield sighed. The butler made a good point. He tightened his hold on the keys and went down the staircase. The sun felt good against his skin, warming him as he made it to the jeep and slid in behind the wheel. He felt brave until the motor hummed to life. He glanced back at the doorway, but Alfred was gone.

The drive into the market square was long. He parked far enough out that he didn't have to deal with the limited parking up closer. It also gave him a chance to walk. He glanced up at the sky, expecting to see someone in a cape or cowl following him. There was no one. He really was alone. Before this happened to him, it never meant a thing to be out alone. Now, it felt strange like he went against society norms, but other than his smell, he wasn't dressed like an omega and he was going to try very hard not to act like one.

Anxiety and anticipation crawled the length of his spine as he entered the main street with all the shoppers looking at the goods in carts. He had money in his pocket, a real wallet, cash and a credit card, like he did before he'd been stripped of his identity. It was strange and exciting. He walked over to a cart to look at the flowers, all so colorful. Gone were the days when he'd turned into a bubble bee just to get closer to the flowers. The memory made the nape of his neck tingle with excitement.

A hand brushed his when he reached for an apple. He looked up at Kyd and immediately tried to pull back, but Kyd's hand tightened on his wrist. Terra was right behind him. Garfield glanced up at the sky, but no one was there. No superhero burst through the crowd to tell the others to back off. He really was on his own like Dick and Bruce promised.

Problem solving was never a problem in the past. Hopefully it still wasn't.

"I told you I'm okay." The strength behind his tone surprised even him.

"That's what you said, but we didn't get a chance to make sure. Kyd is concerned. The last time he saw you, you were in the warehouse going into heat, and then you disappeared for a couple of years," Terra said.

A long couple of years that felt so surreal being stuck in places with no windows. The torture. The induced heat. The sudden dependency. The loss of his baby that he shouldn't have wanted because it was forced on him… But he did want it, as much as he wanted to manipulate his cells and change forms.

"That's what happens when you aren't on the same sphere as everyone else," he said. This time when he jerked free, Kyd allowed it. "I appreciate you coming back, I really do, but I'm okay. I'm going to get my status back with the…" with who? The Justice League? He hadn't seen them since the day they rescued him from the hospital.

"There are many free omegas living successfully among the population. Among alphas undetected," Terra said.

His attention drifted just beyond her at the happy crowd of shoppers. It didn't matter how true it was, he would never fit in with the general population. His skin would always give him away. If he didn't stay with the Justice League, the only other place to hide would be a place not populated by people, but his omega status would always draw any alpha, exploring the vicinity, to his scent.

Terra stepped closer and he held his ground. She smiled and extended her hand, palm up with a very small disk in the center. "If you get in trouble, press this. It will help us locate you."

"I don't need it," he said.

Her smile was sad. "You never know."

The truth of the matter was, he really had no idea what was in his future, so he took it and slipped it into his pocket. Guilt weighed heavier than the tiny little device in his jean pocket. Did he really have so little trust in his new situation? Both Master Dick and Master Robin never touched him outside his heat, except to cuddle, but when he started working out with them, he saw a great deal of distance, as if the pity party was over. He really, really, really hated pity parties as much as he hated being scared all the time.

He quickly tried to detach himself from the feeling. Terra and Kyd were gone in a blink, but he didn't feel completely alone. They didn't say they were a part of another organization, but he pulled the disk out and looked at the emblem on the top, carved into the metal. O.R. … omega rights, maybe?

It didn't ease his spirit, but he continued down the market, petting dogs as they came over, even the few stray cats that peeked from their hidden perches among the merchant carts. The world here stopped. It felt like another dimension, except for the mobile phones that allowed credit card use and honking cars in the distance. The hadn't changed, but he did. His views changed. His reasoning had changed. His inner understanding of the world had changed.

He took his time purchasing a few items for dinner, believing this would please Alfred, and then he bought flowers with bright colors and excellent combined scents. This was for him, so he had something to focus on. His first line of business was to learn how to transform again using tactile senses. The sensation vibrated under his skin and in his brain. It had a thin trigger, but it wouldn't go all the way. He had to force it.

He still had money in his pocket, but he was ready to get home and hide the disk that Terra gave him. He made his way back through the crowd and to the jeep, grateful there were no other surprises.

The sharp twist in his pelvic muscles doubled him over. He hugged the side of the car and waited for the rolling pressure to stop. When it did, he used the car to help him stand. "Shit. Not now."

The pressure pinched again, knocking the air from him. Okay. There was no denying the truth. He was going in heat and he was still in public. He glanced at the watch his Masters gave him, then at the keys in his hand. He really didn't want to wait for someone to come to him. He didn't want them to see him as weak.

"Stay calm, BB," he told himself, then stopped. Had he just called himself Beast Boy? Jesus. Where did that come from?

He used the car to get towards the driver's side, but the pressure had him on his hands and knees, nearly kissing the ground. His thighs were soaked with slick. He didn't even have to move to smell himself in waves that left his head dizzy. Damn… He needed help.

He pressed the tiny red button on the side of the watch, noting for the first time how conveniently hidden it was, but the possibilities of accidently pressing it became a running commentary in his head. Seconds passed. He expected someone on the other end to answer. They didn't. He pressed it again, and brought the watch to his mouth. "Hello?"

"Wow, an omega without a collar? What a lucky day." Two men in business suits stood in front of him.

"You don't want to mess with me. I bite." He growled and pulled himself back against the car door.

The man loosened his tie. "Your alpha isn't here to take care of you, sweetheart."

Could he fight them while in heat? Would their alpha aggressive turn him on? Damn, he hated being an omega when his mind only circled around one thing.

A blur of red light flashed in front of him. He caught his breath when the two men were on the sidewalk, sitting on their butts and Flash started towards him. His full body costume molded to every inch of toned muscle. Garfield swallowed hard and scrambled to get to his feet. The movement made him hyperaware that the aggressiveness in the alpha approaching him actually made his breath hitch in excitement.

It's the heat! He couldn't be turned on by every hot superhero that walked into his life… Right?

Flash stopped five feet in front of him, out of arms reach, but they both knew Flash could fill that space in seconds, even without his ability. "Hey, it's okay. I'm one of your appointed guardians"

Garfield shook his head. He should remember what that meant… Guardian? Alphas and guardians… Oh god!

He tried to sniff the air, smell the alpha that stood so close, but he could only smell the sweet fragrance of spring bloom flowers, and warm popcorn wafting from the market. His heart sped and the masculine smile that spread across Flash's face didn't help.

"I… I don't need you. I have my masters," he said. He almost said Dick and Bruce. God, help him, but his mind felt split between omega and omega-alpha superhero. He didn't feel as omega as he use to a couple of months ago. Having the nanobots out of his system gave him a sense of self preservation.

"It's okay. This is very natural," Flash kept his distance.

Garfield used the car in order to maintain his posture, but the cramps doubled him and the slick was making his clothes damp. "It shouldn't hurt this badly. Call my masters."

Flash shook his head. "I'm on call when they're busy."

"Fine, then take me to one of them," Garfield ordered. His anger leeched into his tone.

Flash raised an eyebrow. "I'm getting the impression that you don't fully understand the concept of guardian alpha."

He waved him silent and growled. "I know what a guardian is. But I don't know you, not really."

"I can take you back to the estate-" Flash offered.

Garfield inwardly moaned as he warred over his dueling logic. He took the keys and threw them at Flash. "Yes, take me back to the estate. You're driving though. I don't want you touching me."

Garfield made it to the passenger side and crawled in. The alpha's scent filled the car, but his scent did the same. His fingers played with the button that would lower the window, knowing it was best if they didn't take the twenty minute drive smelling each other.

"Don't. We don't want to draw alphas back to the estate," Flash said. He looked paler than before, though it could've been the way the sunlight reflected through the window, or how his bright red cowl hugged his face. He started the engine and immediately switched the air conditioning all the way up with the vents aimed at his face.

A glance downward told Garfield just how difficult the next twenty minutes would be for the hero whose impressive alpha cock was already straining against the fabric of his clothes. It wasn't like it was any easier for him. He did the same with the vents on his side, aiming them towards his face, hoping to keep from smelling the overly helpful alpha next to him. He turned the rock station up, hoping the painful loudness would keep him focused, but he blinked and startled when he realized he was leaning towards the alpha.

The alpha had a death grip on the steering wheel. His eyes were on the road, but they were dilated. This was far more dangerous than letting the man zap them to their location. It was too late to regret the decision.

Flash was trying so hard to be a gentleman. Damn. That was way more attractive than it should've been. He pressed his knees together and tried to think of anything besides the alpha. It wasn't working.

"Okay," he grumbled.

Flash glanced at him for a mere second. "Okay, what?"

"Okay, you can…" Garfield waved a finger at himself.

Flash's frown deepened. "Look, kid, you aren't comfortable with it and I don't want a guilty conscious."

Garfield growled, surprised with the venom in his tone. "I'm fine with it. But it better happen in the next couple of seconds or I'll freaking tear you apart when I can think again."

A smirk quaked the edges of Flash's lips as they pulled through the wrought iron gates that were open and waiting. "You realize we'd already be in more comfort if I had just carried you back."

"Whatever," Garfield grumbled as he stared straight ahead at the number of cars parked in the drive way. At least seven of them, he'd never seen before.

Alfred waited on the porch with the door open and his arms crossed. He came to the edge of the porch when he saw them. The minute Flash parked, Garfield had his door open but he barely blinked before hands on his arms were willing to take the majority of his weight. He fell back against Flash grateful.

"The guest room-" Alfred started.

"I know where that is, thank you," Flash said.

"Sir," Alfred's tone perked Garfield's growing dread. "The team is waiting in the living room."

They walked in together, but Garfield yanked from Flash's grip, determined to separate himself. Dread sunk in his stomach as they walked into the living room where Alfred picked up a tray and started serving the gathering of alphas. A wave of alpha pheromone overload hit him and he swayed back. Flash kept his hand at the small of his back to stop him from leaving the room.

"We need to talk while you're still in this frame of mind. Please sit," Flash said.

The alpha gently pulled him over to the chair and he swirled out of the way to stand behind it. He wasn't running. He'd never make it to the door. His eyes settled on the man with black hair and black rimmed glasses. His broad shoulders were outfitted in a button down, collared shirt. Even without his emblem on his clothing, Garfield knew who he was. He knew who all of them were, not because he knew their real names or their secret identities, but because their scents were now so familiar.

Dick and Bruce had been introducing him to their distinct scents for the past month. It wasn't a "in your face" introduction. It'd been casual; like new scents on the sheets or the pillows on the couch. He frowned and curved in on himself for a mere second before anger erupted.

"Call my masters," he demanded of Flash.

Flash took deep, controlled breathes, though his eyes dilated farther. "Garfield, they're in the middle of an operation. Eventually, your heat would've come when they were away."

He glanced back at his guardians, five in all, and swallowed, but the lump in his throat was tight. These alphas weren't strangers to him in their original hero attire. In fact, there were butterflies in his stomach, like seeing old friends after two years of being apart. That was the wrong feeling. He wanted to be pissed because at least it allowed him to stay in control.

He slammed his open palm on the top of the seat cushion. "Damn. Damnit! They went after Slade without me!"

Even as the words left his mouth, he could smell his intimate reaction to the alphas. Warmth trickled between his legs in want of hot skin and hard knots. A warm, gloved hand caught his wrist, drawing his attention.

Flash's other hand slid behind his head, gripping his neck and gently pressing. Pleasure coursed through his body and he pressed against the alpha. "Hush, little omega. We're here as your guardians. We're going to make sure you get through this."

He nodded as the man pulled his mask off and drew him into the chair, on top of his lap. Garfield immediately straddled both his legs, while facing outward at the group. They were talking, making introductions, names immediately got associated with masks. He filed it away and swore to himself that he would remember who they all were; Clark Kent, Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, John Constantine and Jackson Hyde. They were big alphas, built for hard fights.

"I only agreed to be with one person," Garfield said.

"We can bring one alpha in at a time if you'd feel best about it, but this is going to happen. Our careers are deadly and we can't risk you bonding with only one of us," Clark said.

"It helps with balance," Constantine finally talked. He leaned forward, like the others, unable to get comfortable.

Right now, they had the best smell in the world. He leaned back against Barry, grinding his hips into the hero. A witty remark sat on the edge of his tongue; instead he groaned and rocked again. Barry gripped his hips, drawing him over his constrained shaft. A second later, he was pulled from the chair and they were moving to the spare room.

"Please," he whispered.

Allen stopped in the doorway. "What do you need?"

He was too hot to blush, but he could feel it anyway. "I want two alphas."

The word no sooner left his mouth did Clark come up behind Barry. He started working the tie around his neck loose. God! They weren't Dick and Bruce. How would it feel being in the middle of this?

oOo

Barry rubbed circles along Garfield's bare thighs, trying to ease the tension from his body. The full heat hadn't set in yet, and despite being drawn between the two alphas, he couldn't relax. Clark's fingers ran up and down his arm. Both alphas made his body hungry.

He kept his face nearly buried under Barry's arm, taking in the scent of alpha. The cuddling did ease the tension, but not as much as he'd like. Both alphas were surprisingly gentle, though he could feel that neither were built for a gentle nature. There was barely constrained strength in the fingers that kneaded his flesh.

Barry cupped Garfield's butt, then drew his hand down the back of his leg, lifting it up to straddle him. He was extremely aware how it opened the back of him to the alpha pressed at his back. His leg brushed over the prominent hardness that made up Barry's shaft; the heat of it almost burned. The length of his torso now pressed against the lithe superhero.

Behind him, Clark's hands moved lower. When he tensed, Barry brought a hand under his jaw and drew him into a kiss. It was positively possessive and made his inner omega purr. He must've shifted his weight, pulled more of his body on top of Barry because Clark's hands were on his buttocks holding him open. A talented tongue found his core, searing him open. He pushed back against it and was rewarded with a groan of approval.

Barry smirked, knowingly, as he reached a hand up around his head and guided him back into a kiss. He pressed his tongue into the alpha's mouth, catching him off guard, but Barry didn't push away. He allowed the tiny, aggressive behavior, even chuckled as he returned the kiss. Clark's moved a finger into his body and he moaned, jerking back on all fours to impale himself on the second finger added.

"I… I need this," he whispered, losing all ambition. His consciousness slid to the very back of his head. Something animalistic came out. He could only focus on the body heat surrounding him and the smells that said he was with alphas he knew. No reason to panic.

What he wanted; "Please knot me. I need it so bad."

The alphas growled words of appraisal and his omega side opened. He slammed back into Clark, realizing a second later that it wasn't his fingers anymore. The feel of the man's shaft, the thick girth took his breath away. Yes! This was what he wanted.

oOo

"He made it through his second wave fine," Barry said over the private intercom, which meant he was down in the Bat Cave. "Clark and I took care of it the first round."

Batman rolled the Batmobile to the side of a warehouse and stopped, glancing at Nightwing, whose attention was focused outside the window.

"Who is with him now?" Batman asked. He flipped a few switches, connecting to the security cameras set in place at the warehouse. It was a small piece of technology that Wayne Industries was still testing, but at the moment, it worked perfectly.

"He's with Hal and Jackson. Constantine said he's a lone wolf," Barry said.

"Is he content?" Batman asked.

"Listen, he's pretty vocal about how pissed he is that you two left him. Other than that, we're keeping him comfortable," Barry said.

"Tell him, we'll be home soon, but probably not before his heat is over. Don't leave him until we get home, but if the others want to leave-" Batman started.

"Not a problem," Barry said.

He flipped the switch, killing the connection. They sat in the car, taking in the scent of the clean leather seats. "Are you okay?"

"Are you genuinely concerned?" Nightwing asked.

"We agreed to this and we knew it would be difficult. Garfield, he was your team mate for years. You have a special bond with him, but our job is dangerous," Batman said.

"Let's get this done so we can get back," Batman said.

oOo

When the heat lifted, it lifted with his nose buried against Constantine's shoulder. He placed his hands on the sides of the pillow and tried to lift himself. It wasn't nearly as graceful as it was in his head. John's hands shot out and grasped his arms, stopping him.

"Garfield, you're awake."

Garfield nodded and looked away, aware that they were naked and even with a deflated shaft, Constantine was a generously built man… though he was learning that about alphas. He blushed again and the alpha chuckled. The motion rocked his body as John gently helped him to draw his leg off him.

He immediately brought the sheet up to hide his body. "Uh… I don't really know what to say. Usually, uh…"

"Got it." John swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. From the back, he was lean, tight muscle that fit nicely into the fitted jeans he pulled up over his waist. He threw his shirt over his head, hooked his fingers into his shoes and threw him a wink before walking out of the room.

He was now alone and he tried so hard to remember the in between moments of his heat. His body and the sheets didn't stink, but he never did. Bruce and Dick were good about making sure he showered between bouts of his heat cycles. These alphas did the same, though Lobo rarely let him clean. That was one thing he couldn't help but judge other alphas on, how much control they needed to wield over him?

He got out of bed and went straight to the shower, but stopped once the water rushed through the shower head. He sniffed his skin and smelled Constantine. Yes, it was a comforting scent. It wasn't the same as being mated to Dick and Bruce, but it immediately calmed the rush of anxiety he felt in spending a week he couldn't remember. His omega mind would accept anything, but this wasn't forced.

He liked them. Jesus, he liked them. Fuck. He was in trouble of actually finding the Justice League a very, very safe place. Once his guard was down with them-

He shook the thought. He had his alphas and now he had his guardians, but it didn't mean he had to trust everyone, just because it was starting to feel that safe. Right? Right!


	17. Chapter 17

Garfield sat patiently at the table, eating breakfast. To his surprise, no one asked him to make it. Clark stood over the stove with a spatula, looking extremely masculine in his shorts and shirt; black hair still a mess. Though everyone showered, the smell of testosterone remained potent. The alphas were truly alphas, the ones that made him feel utterly secure and overly protected. He wanted to resent the temptation to go back into the guest room and burrow under the covers and relax in the afterglow.

The gentle banter quickly turned serious. He openly studied the alphas sitting at the table, waiting for someone to correct his unruly omega behavior, but much like Dick and Bruce, it never happened. When he caught their eyes, they gave a soft, reassuring smile.

"Will Bruce and Dick be back in time for Lux's party tonight?" Constantine asked. The man was far more mysterious than the others. He barely spoke, preferring to listen and occasionally nod. Garfield fought the temptation to go to him and breathe in the sweet scent of freshly burned tobacco and whisky.

"Bruce believes so." Clark returned to the table with another plate of pancakes and finally sat down to eat.

"And he's right." Dick walked into the kitchen. Even in his street clothes, he stunk of sweat. His hair clung to his face and he looked exhausted as he grabbed a pancake off Garfield's plate and threw him a wink.

Garfield instantly went hard. His skin grew hot with embarrassment. He really needed to learn how to control that reaction, but when Dick's eyes were on him, he felt his breath hitch with excitement.

"Where's Bruce?" Clark asked.

"Down in the Batcave. He believes Lux has something in the works with Slade." Dick pulled a cream colored letter from his back pocket and placed it on the table. "The guest list looks innocent."

"Wonder Woman believes Lux is working with Slade. You shouldn't go. Let us handle this," Barry said.

"This is my fight," Dick said. He stretched and rolled his head, but the exhaustion remained.

"Then you'll let me go with you?" Garfield asked, and inwardly winced at his choice of words. Was he still asking permission? He didn't want to be that type of omega.

"Not this time. You're hand-to-hand combat isn't bad, but you can still be outnumbered," Dick said. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go shower and change."

Garfield got up from the table and followed him, waiting until they were in the bedroom and the door was shut before he spoke up. "You can't bench me on this!"

Dick barely gave him a glance as he pulled his shirt over his head. Sweat made his hair stick to the side of his face. His lean, masculine body rippled with muscle moving under the skin. "Sorry, Garfield, but I stand firm on this."

"Because you're a testosterone driven alpha who wants a kept omega?" Anger made his voice rise. He didn't like the sound of it. His vocal cords wavered.

Dick turned to look at him with pupils blown. "Because you aren't ready."

"Sure, lie to me. I know what this is about," he waved at the claim marks bruising his neck and shoulder. None of them over lapped and they certainly didn't dare touch the original claim marks from Dick and Bruce.

Dick stopped with his fingers at the rim of his jeans. "You're still exhausted from your heat so I'm going to ignore this outburst."

"Outburst? What am I? A child? Because you sure as hell keep telling me you don't need a bed warmer," Garfield growled.

As promised, Dick ignored him as he finished undressing. His flaccid shaft hung heavy and thick in the nest of dark curls. His alpha sac hung equally heavy. He started towards the bathroom door and Garfield ran around him, caught the door and slammed it shut. He braced his body in the doorframe, determined to keep Dick from his destination. Though exhausted, Dick gave him a patient smile.

"This conversation isn't over and you can't place it on a backburner. I am going with you tonight. If it's as dangerous as all of you believe, I'll be the extra pair of eyes, or … or bait! I don't care."

"Garfield," the alpha's tone held warning. He placed a hot hand on Garfield's shoulder and squeezed. "I know you're having a hard time with this, but you need to trust me. You aren't ready."

Garfield raised his chin as he took in a deep breath of his alpha's masculine scent. His spine tightened, but he refused to move. "Stop treating me with kid gloves!"

"I've had a stressful weekend. Don't test my patience," he growled.

Garfield stepped into the alpha's space and looked straight up at him. Despite how much broader his leader was, he didn't back down. "I'm done practicing with punching bags and rubber dummies!"

Dick caught his upper arms. Garfield leaned into the grasp, using his bodyweight to catch Dick off guard. He immediately sat on Dick and pressed his kneecaps into the pressure points in the man's shoulders.

Dick growled. The alpha's pupils expanded and he growled, knocking Garfield back. He barely collected his senses before he was airborne, thrown over the alpha's shoulder. A hand over the back of his legs kept him from kicking.

To add insult to injury, Dick gave him a strong pop on the butt. "You need to keep training. You lack the confidence needed to fight and win."

His alpha dropped him on the mattress. His body sunk into the downy covers. He kicked at Dick, but his alpha caught him by the ankles and parted his legs before he carefully laid his weight on top of him.

"You think I'm going to give up?" Garfield growled.

"Yes." Dick's comment followed a kiss on his cheek that stilled him with surprise. He expected anger from his alpha, instead, only amusement sat on his facial features.

"Damn," he hissed, dropping his head back against the mattress, aware that he'd been beat. The alpha outweighed him and this didn't serve his argument at all. He wasn't going to convince Dick otherwise.

His alpha chuckled, pressing his warm lips against Garfield's neck. "You already gave up?"

"I have a few cheap tricks up my sleeves," he growled.

With an amused smile on his lips, Dick pulled back far enough to study him. "Did you just growl at me?"

Garfield narrowed his eyes. "Yes."

Dick chuckled again, rolling onto his back and pulling Garfield into his arms. Garfield buried his nose under his arm, taking in the heady scent of his leader, confidant and best friend now turned alpha. His alpha. He fought the blush creeping over his cheeks as he glanced up, finding Dick's attention on the ceiling. His brows were knit in thought.

"You think the party will lead into a trap," Garfield said.

Dick didn't look at him. He didn't blink. His thoughts remained firmly masked. "Yes."

Garfield took another deep breath, pressing his nose against skin and groomed armpit hair. "Then why go? There has to be another way to catch these men."

"We tried. Slade is out there with dangerous technology and a slew of medics at his beck-an-call. Innocent people, omegas and alphas will be hurt." Dick curved downward and sniffed the top of Garfield's head. "Mmm, you smell so good."

Garfield pushed him away, still grumpy though his anger was on the verge of quickly fading. "You don't. You need to go shower."

"Join me." Dick kissed the top of his head.

"I already showered. I don't want to dry my skin out." The last statement was a false concern. Omega lotion had a thick ingredient that kept the skin smooth, but if he was in the shower with Dick, he wouldn't be able to look at the letter with the address on the public location.

Dick lingered over him, pressing his warm lips against his. Garfield breathed as deeply as Dick did, not minding the alpha's smell as much as he claimed. His alpha chuckled against his lips again, as if he knew this little secret.

"What if I promised you a good time?" Dick teased, sucking on Garfield's skin under his chin.

The dark promise made Garfield's toes curl. "No-go, hero. Shower first,"

"You drive a hard bargain," Dick sighed, though humor laced his words. He rolled off the bed and stretched.

The air drifted in, cooling the spots that had been pressed against his alpha. The minute the bathroom door shut and the shower started, he rolled out of bed and slid into the hallway, gently shutting the door behind him.

He moved down the staircase, keeping his back against the wall and listening for the slightest noise that would indicate he wasn't alone. It never came. At the bottom of the staircase, he could hear the alphas in the kitchen. They kept their voices low, forcing him to strain his hearing.

"It's going to be dangerous," Clark said.

"There will be a massive amount of security and it won't be in our favor if it's true that Lux has perfected sonic weaponry," Barry said.

"Modified earplugs," Constantine suggested.

Garfield fought the desire to peak around the corner and study his guardians. The soft rumble of their voices soothed him until he found himself melting up against the wall with his eyes nearly shut. He jolted alert and his heart raced. He couldn't get the letter that sat on the table without them noticing. Unless maybe he acted super casual about it.

Okay, what was casual? Like his old 'self' casual? He'll just stroll in like he owned the place and pick up the invitation.

He rolled his shoulders back and tilted his chin upward, trying out the old cocky self. He used a few old hand gestures and tried to lean into the character his heart screamed for him to truly be… except Dick was right about one thing; he did lack his old confidence.

"Garfield, what are you doing?" Alfred's voice made him jump.

He shrugged. The look on the older omega's face said he wasn't buying the innocent act. Thankfully, Alfred's face softened as he ran a hand down his vest to smooth absent wrinkles.

God! He really hoped he wouldn't have to be THAT clean. Part of him was still animal. He still desired the freedom of a feral lifestyle…. even if it was currently dampened.

"I was hungry." His stomach growled, making his statement truer than he thought it would be. How could he think about eating at a time like this? Except his whole mission resided in the kitchen, on the table where pancakes waited to be consumed.

Wait… mission? He really did need to get outside more and get his hands dirty. There was no way he'd have a mission in his current residence over a stupid invite with people who were supposed to be—

Be what? They called themselves his guardians and he accepted that. He actually now placed them in the same position as his… masters?

Damnit! Really? Okay, so he needed to rewire his thoughts. He really, really did. He couldn't just keep rolling over.

He walked into the room and nodded at the alphas who stopped talking when he took his seat, grateful his food was still waiting. He picked at the pancakes, but stared hard at the invitation on the table. It sat in front of Clark and at a strange angle, half hidden under the plate. Greeeeaaaat!

"Did you just growl?" Jackson asked. His brows rose with surprise.

Geeze! He really needed to get his frustration under control, or just become something super big and mean that growls came from. "Uh… I… maybe?"

The men chuckled before falling back into a comfortable silence. Ok… He didn't get in trouble for growling. That had to be worth something.

Hal stood and walked over, kissing the top of Garfield's head. "I need to get going if I'm going to be ready for tonight; and Garfield, I hope you find that inner beast."

A blush rushed up the back of Garfield's neck as he found himself actually leaning into Hal, who now smelled like syrup and sunlight warmed skin.

"Alfred, could you please make sure this gets back to Dick before it gets lost?" Clark picked up the invitation.

Garfield jumped off his seat and nearly crashed into Alfred. The older omega gave an indigent huff, but allowed Garfield to pluck the letter from Clark's hand. "I'll take that to him right now. He should be getting out of the shower."

Clark smiled at him, unaware of his true intention. Garfield's stomach tightened in guilt. He had to fight that feeling. It wasn't exactly going against his alpha's explicit demand when he was supposedly supposed to be a super hero too. He took the staircase slow, willing his brain to photograph the card into his memory. When he made it to the bedroom, he pushed the door open, surprised by the moist air. The bathroom door was open, but the steam evaporated.

Dick smirked at him from the bed, where he laid on his stomach. "Did you want to spar again?"

Garfield held up the card as he plopped onto the bed beside his alpha and took in the masculine, clean scent of his soaps. "Clark thought this would get lost if it wasn't promptly returned."

Dick took it from him and placed it on the nightstand. "Will you let me hold you for a little while before I need to get ready?"

"You make it sound like you don't know if you'll be coming back tonight…" or ever, his brain supplied. The afterthought made his insides twist. Oh-Hell-Yeah, he would be there tonight and he would fight with the Justice League. He had to protect his own… because he might be an omega, but he sure as hell wouldn't roll over anymore, as soon as he figured out how exactly he would keep that promise to himself.

"Protecting the city from people the police can't stop is dangerous. It has a deadly risk," he said.

Garfield pulled off his shirt and slippers before he allowed himself to be pulled into Dick's arms. His body sunk into the mattress and he pressed his nose against his alpha's skin. They were quiet and Garfield kissed the smooth expanse of skin pulled taut over the muscle where his lips rested. Dick pulled him closer, placing a hand under his chin to guide his mouth.

"I know you aren't in heat, and we don't have to do anything if you don't want to, but-"

Garfield cut Dick off with another kiss before pulling away from him so he could unfasten his pants. He wasn't sure what to expect, because this wouldn't be the first time he had sex outside of heat. Lobo had been cruel and made everything hurt, but he trusted Dick with his life. His alpha smiled at him as he crawled across the bed to straddle his waist.

"Is there any way I can convince you to let me go tonight?" Garfield asked.

"Yes. Shapeshift and I'll consider that as good as bullet proof armor." Dick's words were hot against his alpha's mark on his neck.

The gentle nibbling around his collarbone made warmth curl at his tailbone. It was a different type of feeling outside of his heat. He rolled the back of fingers down Dick's torso, playing his fingers over the scars and the way his muscle chiseled lines in his stomach. His alpha watched him with a smirk on the edge of his lips.

Garfield took that as a good sign. He took his time, touching what he wanted too. It was a quiet, personal moment. He catalogued the moment, rubbing his fingers over Dick's angular chin, feeling the slight roughness of his skin. He'd shave before he went to the party, Garfield was sure.

Garfield wrapped his fingers around their shafts, pressing them together. He was so much smaller than his alpha, but Dick's eyes drifted shut and his smirk tightened. Garfield continued, rubbing his penis up against his alpha's thick veined shaft. He was enamored with the purple mushroom tip. At the base of Dick's shaft, his knot was starting to fill.

Garfield laid off his own penis, in order to grip the knot. He had no idea what he was doing. This wasn't the first time he touched a shaft, but he'd never done it outside of a blow job. Dick's muscles tightened under him and his breathing started to quicken. Garfield continued to squeeze the knot, which was much bigger than his grip.

Dick suddenly gripped his arms. It wasn't tight. His knot expanded in Garfield's hand and suddenly an orgasm rocked Dick's body. Hot ropy jets of sperm squirted over his flat stomach. It kept going and Garfield didn't let up, absolutely amazed at the sheer amount of potent alpha sperm that came out of such thick balls.

Garfield leaned down and started licking, feeling even more sperm hit his stomach as me made the effort to not lose his hold as he licked musky sperm off Dick's skin. Dick moaned both in content and because the orgasms rocked through his body. The alpha shuddered bone deep.

Dick chuckled. "This could last a while."

Garfield's face was wet and messy, but he enjoyed this. Dick was utterly submission under him, not moving to press the rest of that ropy sperm inside of him. "Good thing I'm up for the challenge."


	18. Chapter 18

Garfield sat with his back against the headboard. His sweat cooled, and though he ached to keep his warmth by drawing the covers up, he didn't move. He watched as both Bruce and Dick moved about the room, getting ready.

They both wore their vigilante suits under crisp, dress shirts and black pressed pants. The dark fabric hid their costumes. Extra pockets sewn in the fabric housed carefully placed weapons; flat and inconspicuous. Masks laid flat in one of their many pockets; probably in the back.

"Don't pout, Garfield." Dick said, finally noticing that the quiet wasn't peaceful.

"Even pets get invited to these stupid highbrow parties." Anger tightened his throat. When both men stopped to look at him, he had to force himself to meet their gaze, even as embarrassment warmed the back of his neck and face.

Bruce stood, accessing him. "House pets don't have to contend with Slade."

"You think I'm a liability? Why train me if you aren't going to let me fight?" Garfield growled. It wasn't a pussy growl, though he knew it would be more intimidating if he had the ability to change into something truly scary. In his mind, he was facing down his alphas in the shape of a wolf…

Dick walked around the side of the bed and took a seat. It was a large bed and Garfield didn't scoot over. He was a little disappointed when Dick didn't fully crawl on. "You are going to be in the fight soon enough. Right now, you need to stay focused on your ability to change."

"How am I supposed to focus on anything when you might not come back? You aren't even packing the gas bombs and they are freaking smaller than your stupid boomerangs." He was proud that he didn't sound like he was whining, though the "man's best friend" side of him, the one with the four legs and wagging tail, was whining a lot in his head, even pawing at the back door wanting out.

Where did his damn inner wolf go?

He dropped his head back against the wall and this time his whine wasn't so much in his head. He nearly whined again when a warm hand squeezed his knee. Seriously… Seriously! Why was Dick able to wrap his fingers around so much of his skin? He wasn't even that little! Okay, maybe he wasn't as big as the alpha vigilantes, but he did bulk up since coming to the manor.

"He's coming back, Garfield. I promise you that." Bruce remained standing at the foot of the bed; tall, proud and not the least bit sweaty with everything he wore.

Garfield jumped across the mattress and barely caught himself before he threw his full weight onto the older vigilante. He buried his face against Bruce's hard chest and took in a number of deep breathes until his heart stopped pounding and he was sure he wasn't going to cry. Bruce gently stroked the back of his head. His strong fingers brushed behind his ears and through his hair.

Yep, the wolf was soooo gone. In fact, his metaphysical tail was fluffy and wagging like a Maltese. "Stupid cute dogs!"

"What?" Bruce and Dick asked in unison. He hadn't felt Dick come up behind him, but fingers rubbed down the length of his bare back, brushing the tip of his spine and roaming back up. He loved those fingers and how they pulled such elicit words from his mouth.

Garfield pulled away, trying to be nonchalant. "You both will come back. Don't think I'm just going to behave for anyone."

Bruce chucked him gently under the chin and gave a reassuring smile that softened his hardened features and steel blue eyes. Garfield wanted to sink up against him again, to pull both of them back into the bed and turn into something that was strong enough to sit on them. Instead; he passively accepted the tight hugs and soft kisses goodbye.

He sat on the bed as Dick pulled the door shut behind them. He strained to hear what they said to Alfred who waited in the hallway with his babysitter. When did Cyborg get to be an honorary babysitter? He was old enough to babysit himself! Fuck, that sounded horribly stupid.

"Fuck," he whispered again. Because now that he was getting fucked, he should be able to say the word. "Fuck! Fuck! Stupid!" Wow, backtracked a little on that last one.

A gentle knock announced the intrusion. He quickly pulled the blanket over his lap and chest, not comfortable with the fact that his best friend knew he was getting laid and KNOTTED! Heat rushed over his cheeks when Cyborg stuck his head in.

"Hey there buddy. I'm going to order pizza with all your favorite toppings and I brought a few video games. I love Dick's game system," Cyborg said. His enthusiasm, though not forced, held a hint of strain.

"It really is awesome!" Garfield tried for patient. And Dick had a very nice joystick too…

"Okay. Well, get dressed and come downstairs. Pizza will be here in twenty," Cyborg said.

The door clicked shut and he jumped off the bed. His internal clock ticked. No time for a shower. He would have to go to the party smelling like a well-sated little omega. He darted into the ridiculously large walk-in closet and grabbed the clothes recently tailored for him. Nothing omega, thank Gaia! Both masters had promised he would not be subjected to those commonalities.

He could even go on beta blockers as soon as he was ready to fight. Damn! Damn! Damn! He wished he had beta blockers now and his own vigilante wardrobe.

At the moment, he chose blank pants, a navy blue short sleeve shirt, and black formal jacket. A tie for an omega would draw a bit of attention, but he didn't have a collar, so he plucked a tie from Bruce's cherry wood tie rack.

He took a second to sniff the tie. It wasn't about comfort… not really, but his omega purred. The shoes he wanted to wear were still in the box. He tipped the black sneakers until the disk he hid rolled to the heel of the shoe. He stuck the disk in his back pocket and pulled the shoes on. It felt strange wearing this much clothes.

He crossed over to the dresser, feeling a surge of apprehension. Any minute now, Alfred could walk through that door and derail his rescue mission. Yeah, like Dick or Bruce would want to believe they needed to be rescued.

He found his mace and boomerang, tucking both items into his pockets since he didn't have the same hidden pockets in his clothes yet. He pulled the disk out and held it in his palm. This was it.

"Okay Garfield, you have one shot at this. Don't get caught by the bad guy!" He pressed the button on the disk.

"Garfield?" Alfred called from the other side of the door, following a soft knock. "Do you want to come downstairs?"

Static stung his palm and he dropped the disk. It clattered to the floor as the air crackled with energy.

"Nope!" Garfield yelled. It wasn't exactly what he meant to say. The overhead light flickered and another pop snapped off in the air, sending sparks.

"Garfield!" Alfred shoved the door open.

Garfield barely managed to cross the room and slam his body against the door, shoving the older omega back into the hallway. "Sorry!"

"What's going on?" another voice asked…

"Crap!" He drew the lock in place, but it wouldn't deter Cyborg. After thinking better of it, he scrambled away from the door. The door would come down and he didn't want to be that close when it did. Gentle hands caught his shoulders, yielding his movement.

"It's okay. We're here now. We'll get you out of here," Terra promised.

He shook his head. "You don't understand. I need to get to Cross Swan Hotel right now."

"That's not a good idea. Lux Luther is hosting a party to showcase his latest gadgets. It's going to be swarming with alphas," Terra said. Kyd made a gesture, thumb and finger a mere inch apart, and tapped his head twice, then spread his fingers wide and tapped his privates. Terra laughed.

"Okay, alpha jokes later. Right now, I really need to get to that party," he hissed. If he could change his cells, he wouldn't be sitting here begging for a ride. He would've opened the window and flew there, strong winds be damned.

The door crashed to the floor, sending specks of wood outward. Garfield nearly tripped into Terra. Kyd gripped his shoulder and the hum of air rushing around them canceled out the words Cyborg shouted.

They shot through white space. It stopped long enough for the cold night air to hit his face and for the rush of bile to lurch up through his gut, then they were traveling again. The speed stole his breath. It felt like he was freefalling, which made him grateful for the warm, female body that curved protectively around him. He gave in to gravity, letting it push him against her.

When they stopped again, this time he got the chance to vomit. The dizziness swarmed around his head and his stomach and chest felt caught in a vice grip. A hand rubbed circles on his back and though it was comforting, he waved the person away. Heroes didn't need comfort.

"Breathe slower. It helps with the nausea," Terra offered.

"Yeah, I've done this before," he growled, shooting a hand haphazardly in Kyd's direction. The other omega crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, looking for all the world, impatient and annoyed.

"Are you going to explain why we're taking you to an alpha party?" Terra said. Strands of her blond hair had fallen from her ponytail, and framed her soft, oval face. Her eyes remained sympathetic, but she didn't try touching him again.

He was grateful for this; because he wasn't sure he wouldn't fall into her arms until the sickness passed. The cold air dried his sweat. "Are you going to stop me from going?"

Terra kicked away from the wall. "I know determination when I see it. I don't think you're in the head space to realize this is a really stupid idea."

"Thanks, but I have enough alphas trying to shield me from this big bad world and guess what? The worst has already happened to me. I'm not scared." How many times was he going to have to say this tonight?

She sighed and folded her arms. "Fine, but we're sticking around, just in case."

He righted himself, wishing for a toothbrush and clean water. He'd have to wait until they got to the hotel. "Fine! But stay out of my way."

"Fine!" Terra shouted back. It lacked the formal, alpha growl.

oOo

"How are we going to do this?" Dick asked under his breath as they passed through the main foyer. The vast hotel already had a number of classy guests heading towards the elevators.

Bruce brought his phone to his ear, pretending to answer it. "Clark?"

"We're already here and in position. No sign of anything out of the ordinary." Clark answered over the small microphone in Dick's left ear.

Dick stopped behind a group of ladies. Their light perfume complimented the fruity scent wafting off their hair. A dark haired brunet glanced back at him with a wolfish smirk and he returned it, easily falling into the persona the tabloids blatantly fabricated about.

"Sara," she offered her hand and he took it.

"Dick Grayson," he gave her hand a very light shake and her smile faltered.

When they dropped hands, she knew he wasn't interested, but she continued with a conversation he only nodded at as they waited for the slow elevator. He hazarded a glance at the doorway with a plaque showing a staircase. It'd be quicker, but it wouldn't be proper for a pampered elite.

His phone vibrated against his thigh as the elevators dinged open. He pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the caller's number. "It's the house."

"Alfred?" Bruce asked.

Dick hesitated for a second before answering it as he shuffled onto the elevator. His thumb was on the volume, keeping the sound low. "Hello?"

"Master Dick-" Alfred started. The panic in the omega's tone immediately made the alpha within him stiffen.

The elevators closed and the chatter behind him made it difficult to hear. "Calm down and repeat yourself."

"Garfield-" The phone lost reception.

Dick's heart hammered in his chest. One of the ladies brushed up against his backside. It was a casual, promiscuous offer. Easy to ignore. Bruce remained utterly still. His eyes hooded. He was nervous too.

When the elevator reached their floor, the doors opened into a crowded room that glimmered and shined. He stepped off, trying to keep a pretense of casualness as Bruce followed him over to the vast glass windows that served as walls looking out over the city.

Dick immediately dialed back. "What is going on?"

"Your omega just ran off dressed to the nines. Probably heading your way." Cyborg answered the phone. "You're going to need a new door."

Dick's breath hitched. "Are you kidding me? You were supposed to be babysitting him. How did he get out of the house?"

"The kid's got friends," Cyborg said, almost sounding proud. "Nothing you can't handle, right? There's a shit load of you guys there."

"Thanks for the warning," Dick hissed. He disconnected the call and stuck his phone in his pocket, glancing at Bruce. No amount of Justice League associates would make him feel better about his omega heading into danger, practically defenseless.

"I heard. Unless he's suddenly gained the ability to change, I'm assuming Kyd is back in his life." Bruce muttered, barely moving a muscle in his jaw.

oOo

Slade stood by the indoor window watching the party below, with confidence. Due to the tint on the glass giving the office privacy, no one could see him.

"Do you think they'd come dressed in their little costumes?" Lux asked from behind his desk. He kept his hands on the arm chairs, managing to look insightful.

Slade turned back to the party. "I didn't plan for them to make an announcement if that's what you're asking."

They needed to draw the heroes out. He kept his eyes on the crowd as the party-goers mingled with their social class. It was all too boring to him and waiting had never been one of his skills. He took a step away from the glass when something caught his attention. He turned back, noticing the green skinned omega in a very nice looking outfit.

"Well, that's unexpected." He smirked. Was the vigilante using the omega as bait?

He watched Garfield push his way through the crowd. He wasn't heading towards the food or anywhere in particular. It looked like he was looking for someone.

"Hello," Lux purred behind him. "Is that Garfield at my party? Where is his alpha?"

"Why don't we draw the pup in a different direction and see who comes looking for him," Slade offered.


	19. Chapter 19

Dick scanned the extravagant room with its high chandeliers and gold plated staircase railing that reflected the chandelier lights. People in evening attire swarmed, with drinks in hand, in small groups making it impossible to get around them without pushing through. It shouldn't be hard noticing an omega with green skin, even with the dapple evening light, but the sheer space encompassed by the party made it frustrating. The noise added to his trepidation.

His gut clenched with something he rarely felt; fear. If something happened to Garfield…. He shook the thought. Garfield wanted to be a hero. By allowing Garfield the freedom to fight, he left the possibility for fatality open.

Dick grumbled under his breath "Okay, Garfield. It's clear you want your independence, but now isn't the time."

"Is that what you're going to tell him?" Bruce mused over the line.

Dick glanced across the room at his mentor. The older alpha stood by the heavily decorated dessert table. He held the glass flute tilted at his lips, hiding the fact that he spoke to absolutely no one. He wished his mentor would admit that this was disturbing. Their omega was now directly in the line of fire. Anything could go wrong tonight.

oOo

Garfield found his way into the hot kitchen. The humid air carried a myriad of food scents that should've made his stomach tighten with hunger. He gripped the table and tried to breathe as the workers attempted to ignore their presence as they sat dainty tea plates on serving trays.

Focusing proved difficult for him as well. The sheer amount of alphas at the party was overwhelming. His heart wanted to beat right through his chest.

"Garfield, what are we doing here and I don't mean the kitchen?" Terra asked. She picked up a small tea plate and unapologetically snapped the snack into her mouth.

Garfield forced himself to focus on her face. It was sympathetic. "This place is crawling with alphas and most of them don't believe in the omega revolution. You two should get out of here."

"And leave you alone? No way," Terra said. Kyd nodded, though his attention darted with apprehension at the mixed staff.

Garfield inwardly sighed. He dragged them into this. He would have to make sure they survived anything that happened. He watched the waiters move through a door with trays in their hand. It was time to man up and see where the night would take them; hopefully, not to the morgue.

His mind wanted to list all the ways he was already outnumbered. He refused to let the direction of those thoughts deter him, but just in case, he picked up the chef knife and held it at his side as he slid back through the swinging door. When no one yelled for him to stop, he assumed no one saw his petty theft.

Glass lightly clinked over the music as people traded out empty drinks for full flutes. Garfield scanned the room and felt stupid. His clothes were pretty baggy and the two behind him weren't dressed for a party like this. They would stick out and that's not what they needed if they were going to find Slade before anyone got hurt.

"Are we working with a plan or are we going to just trouble shoot as we go along?" Terra asked. She had another dainty plate in hand full of what looked like stuffed mushrooms. She popped them in her mouth, looking far too casual. It drew a lot of sidelong glances.

"No plans." Or fighting skills.

He had absolutely no idea what he would do once he found Slade. The man ruined his life. He wanted to return the favor.

"Okay, cowboy. Guns blazing! Got it. Now, if we had a few of those, it would be great," Terra said. Kyd shrugged and Terra laughed as she adjusted her white fingerless gloves. "You're right. We don't need to bring toys to a real fight."

A real fight that he couldn't be a part of. He couldn't even change. He inwardly sighed. This was starting to feel extremely dangerous and utterly stupid. What could he do to protect his alphas? Slade would notice the knife before he could even position it.

"How did you get in here?" A man in black attire with a wire in his ear grabbed Terra's arm. Three more men came up behind him, built like they belonged on a football field.

Terra gave a tug. "Slow your roll. I used the front entrance like everyone else."

The man pulled her arm behind her back. "You're trespassing on a private party. The police have been called."

"You're aggression is overly excessive. You could just ask me to leave." She held her ground. The crowd started to circle around them as more security filled the gaps of escape.

The situation quickly grew out of control. He saw his window of opportunity closing with each passing second. He glanced over the faces before looking back at the small party that helped him enter the party.

Kyd backed up next to Terra. Garfield opened his mouth to interject, but something caught his attention. The chandelier light glinted off a mask that haunted his nightmares. Slade stood in the service doorway, arms at his side. His long brown coat hung down to his ankles. The tall man daunted him. Garfield could practically feel the smile behind the mask.

He hissed and started pushing through the crowd. A few people shoved back, but in his determination, he inched his way to the service door. Slade allowed him to get within ten feet, before he slid out of the room.

oOo

"I spotted your omega," Wonder Woman said over the line in his ear. "And it looks like someone caught his attention. Who is he looking at?"

She didn't have to say it. He knew the moment he saw Garfield's shoulders tighten, who the omega decided to go for. He pushed harder through the crowd. Voices, both from the party-goers and over their communication line, jumbled in his skull. He couldn't think beyond the pulse ringing between his temples.

Garfield somehow made it through the crowd with grace, easily sidestepping and wiggling through. Slade beckoned his mate.

He growled. It vibrated the core of his being. He saw red as he tried to pick up his pace, but the onlookers were making a tight bubble around Terra and the guards.

"Nightwing, you need to wait for us." Someone ordered in his headpiece. He ripped it out of his ear and dropped it into a planter. If he lost Garfield again, he'd go berserk.

"Garfield!" The rise in the room's volume swallowed his shout.

Dick's heart dropped to his stomach when Garfield flung open the service door. The stark light bounced off cement flooring and plain, gray walls before the door slowly shut. He couldn't reach Garfield.

What was the omega thinking?

oOo

Garfield pressed his ear against the door leading to the roof, but the only thing he heard was the rattle of the wind pushing against the door barrier. The smell of metal that surrounded the staircase and the doorframe reminded him of the sterile hospital and being a slave. There was no way to temper the anger.

He shoved the door open and a harsh gust of cold wind made it slam back in his face. He shook the surprise and pushed it open again, stepping out before the door could close on him. His grand entrance was ruined, but his anger simmered.

The world appeared darker, this high over the city. The cold wind twisted his hair and pulled at his jacket. Even his fingers felt colder, wrapped around the blade handle.

Slade stood with his back facing the ledge. His buttoned coat warped itself around his body as the wind attacked him with the same ferocity. Despite the mask, Garfield swore he could feel the man's lips twisted into a smile.

"I wondered when the little omega would come and play," Slade said.

If there was ever a reason to have claws, now was the time. His adrenaline made every streaming thought scream in his head. His skin prickled from the cold and with an electric energy he hadn't felt in years. This was what it used to feel like standing in front of a villain.

"Are you capable of fighting, kid? You're shaking so hard you can barely stand." Slade mocked.

"Are you capable of playing without your minions?" Garfield shot back. Brave words when he wasn't sure he could fight Slade one on one without his abilities.

Slade chuckled, silently. "I almost forgot how witty your disobedient mouth could be, Garfield. Next time, I'll make sure you get a much better handler."

Garfield fisted his empty hand until his nails dug into his flesh. His bones shook with anger, not fear. The back of his eyes burned with tears of rage. "You tried to destroy my life. It didn't work. You tried to destroy Nightwing's life. It didn't work. Do you see a pattern, Slade? You're a failure. You'll always be one."

Slade took a step forward. "What I see is an omega that would do better without a tongue. I can have that immediately fixed."

Garfield also moved forward. The wind grew stronger, slamming the door shut behind him with such force, it rocked the ground. "I'm older, wiser and a hell of a lot more hell bent. I don't believe in the justice system."

"That should mean something?" Slade asked.

"It should." His nails dug so deep that his skin grew sleek with his blood. The puncture wounds didn't release the pressure that buzzed under his skin. Every nerve jerked with its own force. He tried to steady his breathing.

Slade opened his hands. "Bring it little omega. I want to see what you can do."

Garfield lunged forward, ready to attack when a blur settled between him and Slade. He stared, like an idiot, up at Superman's muscular back before the alpha's blue cape whipped back threatening to tangle him.

"Slade, you are under arrest," Superman started.

"Fuck that!" Garfield quipped, angry as all hell. "Kill the bastard! Hang him with his own intestines before he can hurt anyone else."

"Garfield, you need to go inside," Superman hissed at him.

"Hell no! I was here first. He's my kill!" Damnit! Now he sounded whiny. That really pissed him off.

Spotlights snapped on, blinding the rooftop. Garfield raised a hand to block the burning glare right as the door opened and someone shouted his name. Superman immediately turned his back to the sound of gun explosions as he wrapped an arm around Garfield and forced him protectively close.

Garfield clutched at Superman, expecting pain. It never came.

The hero before him nearly collapsed on top of him. "Garfield, run."

"No…" No one was going to take this from him.

Hands roughly pulled him out from under Superman. He caught a glimpse of Nightwing in the doorway with his mask on, trying to fight his way towards them, but there were tons of men in SWAT gear filling the rooftop from a helicopter overhead and from rope attached to their building from buildings higher up.

They were outnumbered.

oOo

Nightwing slammed the door to the rooftop open and the door immediately slammed shut on him, but not before he glimpsed the utter chaos. He pulled the batarangs from his inside pocket and kicked the door open again. Superman knelt on the ground, clutching his leg and reaching at the men who pulled the omega away from him.

Slade noticed him first and snapped his fingers. A man walked straight up to Garfield, took the butt of their gun and slammed it over the back of the omega's skull, sending him crumbling to the ground. His anger turned to sourness as everyone went quiet.

"Don't think about moving closer, Nightwing. This game of cat and mouse has over exhausted itself. We need a new game," Slade said.

Garfield sat on the ground with a hand on the back of his head and anger burning in his emerald eyes. "I agree. This game went cold a long time ago. Kill the sick motherfucker so we can move on already!"

"Congratulations on making your omega rebellious again. Really, you'd have him fighting?" Slade tsk'd.

"Okay, Slade. You won. I will surrender to you, but not before you allow someone on my team to take my omega back inside."

"You allowed this uncultured thing to come between us and you think I'll just let it go?" Slade hissed. He made a gesture that had the two men pulling Garfield to his feet and over to him.

From the angle they dropped his omega, he could see Garfield's hair matted with blood. The beautiful, pine green strands glistened with gore. It didn't stop his omega from sitting up and spitting on Slade's shoes. The alpha immediately kicked Garfield in the chin, sending his omega flat on the ground.

"I do admire your fighting spirit. It will amuse me to crush it all over again," Slade said.

Nightwing threw the Batarang on instinct. The sleek, black edge slammed into Slade's shoulder. He was in motion before the goons present on the rooftop could react. His adrenaline made his muscles push hard and fast.

He crashed into the older alpha, sending the lithe man over the side of the building, but not before those gloved hands caught him by his jacket, yanking him over the knee high ridge.

oOo

Garfield swallowed a mouthful of salvia and blood. He hadn't expected to witness his alpha going straight over the side of the building, which made him instantly want to vomit. He was to his feet and on the ledge in seconds.

"Garfield, stop!" The command came from alphas.

He ignored it and leaped. No plan. No bat toys. Head first, like a diving bird.

His cells burned. Bones snapped under his skin, forcing his body to expand. The human clothes wouldn't allow it at first, then seams ripped and suddenly the air felt different as it glided under his large, leathery wings. His talons were out and ready as he neared the falling two bodies.

He caught Nightwing by the waist, ten feet from the ground.

He swallowed hard, but the bellow of triumph screamed up his vocals and into the air, the loudest, prehistoric call that made the glass windows in both buildings rattle. He slowed their descent and carefully dropped Dick on the ground.

It took a couple of minutes for his heart to slow. It took a minute longer before he could pull his cells back into a shape he'd been prisoner to for years. The second he stood on his own shaky legs, he wobbled towards his alpha, then almost crumbled.

Arms caught him and pulled him close. He could barely slow his breathing, even with his alpha trying to hold his face into his neck so he could breathe him in. "Nice slow breathes, Garfield. You're okay. You're going to be okay."

"Did I hurt you?" He wanted to push Dick back and paw over his clothes to look for injuries, but he didn't dare open his eyes. Sickness rolled through him with fervor.

"No." Dick held him so tight, crushing their bodies together.

The metallic smell of blood grew strong between them, more so than his small amount of injuries. He knew he put holes in Dick. He had felt his talons sink into flesh. He tried moving again, to see what he'd done to his alpha while attempting to save him, but Dick's hold remained sturdy, making it impossible for him to move.

"Hey! Calm down. It's really nothing. You saved me." Dick gently caught his chin and kissed his forehead and then his temple. "We both need to see a medic."

Garfield shook his head. "I haven't changed in years. I forgot how strong I get. I forgot…"

"Wow! Stop. It's okay. I'm okay. We're safe now." Dick looked up and Garfield followed his gaze. Shadows danced about on the rooftop; no doubt the League was there, making short work.

Garfield shivered. "This was almost it. The end of Slade's game almost killed you."

Dick shrugged off his coat and placed it over his shoulders. "It wasn't though. You saved me, Garfield. You changed Slade's rules."

Garfield stared hard at his face, trying to gauge any lies about how badly he was hurt. Who needed enemies when you had a careless omega? In the end, his alpha's words hit home. He did change! His body had mutated into something vast that could fly.

This time when he shivered, it was with relief. "I fucking changed the rules!"

Dick chuckled and veered him towards the valet. "Don't let Alfred hear you cussing."


	20. Chapter 20

Garfield changed from the smooth body of a tiny fly to something a little thicker that wouldn't be blown around in the vent. His furry body settled against the smooth silver floor and he pressed his face against the vent bars. The air conditioner went off, leaving the room almost silent. This low to the ground, he caught the scent of dust, carpet cleaner, and the smell of leather shoes.

"Now that he's able to change, it would be a good idea to put a collar on him," Wonder Woman said.

The meeting only held his two alphas. He pressed his face against the vent, but the downward grates made it impossible to see anything higher than mid-calf. He itched at his whiskers, irritated, though the feel of his clawed fingers pressing on the long wiry stands was odd and not unpleasant.

"Can't do that," Dick said.

"Won't," Bruce agreed. Both men shifted their weight in the chairs, putting both feet together like they were ready to stand.

Garfield squeaked with inner delight, then quieted, embarrassed. No one reacted to the sound. Maybe they couldn't hear. He was something that could now fit in Bruce's palm. He swallowed hard, waiting for the counter argument.

"He has the ability to fly out and leave you two," Wonder Woman said.

"He won't. He grew up a hero. He's going to stay with the Justice League." Dick spoke with a great deal of conviction, though neither of them spoke about the issue prior to this.

Garfield nodded. He could deal with being an omega as long as no one treated him like one… outside the bedroom of course.

"He'll fight better without a collar," Bruce said, then stood. Dick was a second later in following as they walked out the door.

Garfield scurried through the tunnels. His little heart beating. The two alphas made it back to the room before he could, so he twisted in another direction. The furry bundle of weight melted away to the very small, body of a fly. He flew through the grates in the vent and turned again. His muscles wrapped around bone, extending and pulling until he was human again. He stared at himself in the mirror. The phantom twitch of his whiskers still existed in his head.

"Garfield?" Dick called.

Garfield took a breath, scrubbed at his face willing the crazy itch to go away, then composed himself and walked out of the bathroom while his alphas whispered. They turned their dark eyes on him, amusement barely contained.

"I won't go over the details since you caught most of it," Bruce said.

Heat crawled up Garfield's neck. Maybe they heard him squeak after all. Dick's warm fingers on his chin made him look up at them.

"You're part of the team now. If that's what you want," Dick said.

He sighed, relieved. It was everything he wanted. Dick rubbed his chin with his thumb, gently bringing him back to reality. Garfield caught his alpha's hand and brought it down to his side. "I appreciate this as long as you remember I am a team member over the omega thing."

"Omega thing," Bruce repeated, chuckling. "It's a thing now?"

"It's always been a thing…" Garfield growled and both alphas chuckled this time. Bruce gently rubbed the top of his head, messing up his hair.

"Well, your thing should try on his new suit so we can make any altercations to it," Dick said.

Content, Garfield instantly melted between the alphas. "I'll try it on in a second. Right now, I just want to scent mark you two."

This time when the men laughed, he could feel it to the core of his being. Hands on his hips and another set of hands on his waist, he was dragged into the bed. This was what a nest was all about.


End file.
